A Mother's Intuition: Crushes
by White-Tainted-Red
Summary: When Itachi saw Naruto for the first time, his mind blanked. Now, three years later, they're a happy couple. However, Naruto's Jinchuuriki status puts him in constant danger. Thank God for Itachi Uchiha, Naruto's protector.
1. The Crush

Itachi couldn't stop staring at the 9 year old. He had messy golden locks and bright blue eyes. His cheeks were adorned with whisker marks.

"Nii-san, Naruto is my friend, not yours! '' He heard his brother, Sasuke, whine. Naruto ignored Sasuke's complaints and continued to stare at Itachi.

''You're right, Otouto. I'll head to my room...'' Itachi stated absently, only briefly looking at his brother before returning his gaze to the blond.

''Naruto!'' Sasuke screamed. He was furious at his brother and Naruto. They were completely ignoring him!

Upon hearing her youngest scream in frustration, Mikoto headed downstairs to tend to her son and Naruto.

Finally, Naruto turned away from Itachi and stared longingly at a pack of instant ramen. Itachi noticed this, and immediately offered the child food.

''Are-'' He started, but was cut off by the arrival of his mother in the kitchen.

''Hello there, boys. Are you hungry?'' She directed at Sasuke and his friend, but looked Itachi square in the face. Itachi frowned as Naruto shook his head. He was about to comment on this, but Naruto's stomach beat him to it. It released a loud growl before Naruto shifted to muffle the noise.

''Itachi.'' He looked up at his mother, and was surprised to see a smile plastered on her face.

''Yes, Oka-san?'' He asked politely. His mother stayed silent for a moment and he waited patiently for her request.

''Could you find me that one cooking book in your Oto-san's study?'' She asked quietly, looking back at the hungry boys. Itachi found this odd, as she'd never owned any cooking books. She knew the recipes passed down for generations by the Uchiha clan by heart.

''Please.'' She said firmly, but her eyes softened the tone. Itachi gave a small nod before heading towards his father's study. 'A cooking book?' He thought. 'She must have wanted me out of the kitchen. But why?' He shook his head to clear his thoughts, and lightly knocked on the door to the study before quietly stepping inside. It was empty, and once again, he found this strange. His father was ALWAYS in his study.

Mikoto waited a couple minutes before announcing, ''I'll be right back, boys. I don't know what's taking Itachi so long.'' She flashed a smile before leaving the kitchen.

Naruto and Sasuke stared at each other in confusion, and soon enough, Naruto's stomach interrupted the silence. They both looked over at his stomach before looking at each other. Laughter erupted in the Uchiha's large kitchen.

A knock was heard at the door, and Itachi watched as his mother stepped into the study and took a seat.

''Itachi, I have something to discuss with you.'' She said. She was no longer smiling, but had a rather serious expression on her face.

''Please, go ahead, Oka-San.'' He nodded as he sank to the floor and leant against the sturdy bookshelf.

''You seem to have a crush.'' Mikoto stated. She obviously didn't waste her time getting to the point. She WAS an Uchiha after all.

Itachi stared at his mother in silence. He tried to comprehend her statement, but drew up a blank. Finally, he reached a conclusion. His mother was going insane.

''Me? Like someone? Since when!'' He burst out, forgetting his manners.

Mikoto frowned when he spoke in a mocking tone. She then remembered that Uchihas never showed emotion, so it was natural for them to explode every once in a while.

''Yes, since now, Itachi. I can tell. It's a mother's intuition.'' She said while grinning. This was her son's first crush, and she was proud of him.

''Alright then, who do you think I like?'' He sneered. His mother squirmed. He was being awfully rude.

''Naruto.'' She said, holding back a smile. She couldn't wait for the blush that would take him by surprise.

''Na-Naruto!'' He asked, his eyes widening. He could feel his cheeks heating up, and he bit his lip to keep from yelling that Naruto had to be the most adorable creature he had ever seen. He looked down at the floor. How could he be acting so foolish!

''Oh, Itachi. It's alright!'' Mikoto whispered, taking her beet red son into her arms. She held him until he started to struggle. She could see a mixture of anger, helplessness, determination, and childishness on his face. She shut her own eyes while waiting for him to lash out at her. Instead, she heard an almost timid voice call out to her.

''Oka-San. How do I make him like me back?''


	2. The Plan

_**Wow. I never expected I'd get so many reviews and alerts. Thank you so much. I read all of your reviews! I'm sorry if it's not that well written or sounds different, I just wrote that first chapter one or two months ago, and my writing style seems to have changed. Either way, I hope you enjoy the next chapter of "A Mother's Intuition: Crushes"**_

''_Oka-San. How do I make him like me back?''_

It had been a couple weeks since Itachi's first encounter with the precious fox. In that period of time, Mikoto had worked together with her son and come up with an excellent plan to capture Naruto's heart.

"Oka-san. Could we go over the plan one more time? I want it to be perfect."

Mikoto gently placed her hand on Itachi's shoulder and squeezed. It was a foreign but reassuring gesture. Naruto was coming over again today and Mikoto could practically hear the gears turning in her sons head. He was an extremely intelligent 14 year old, being captain of the Anbu and saving the leaf village from destruction by none other than Madara Uchiha. She imagined he must be running through every possible outcome.

"There's no need, Itachi. Everything will work out perfectly. I promise." She smiled, as a knock came from the door. At that moment, Itachi's heart pounded so fast that he had to sit with his head between his knees to keep from fainting. He heard his mother open the door, Naruto's greeting and then his mothers, and quick footsteps heading into Sasuke's room.

"Itachi-sama? What are you doing on the floor?" Itachi grimaced and looked up from the floor. How would he explain to his fox that he liked him so much it hurt to breath? Itachi settled for a semi-truthful answer.

"M-my heart hurts." He heard some shuffling, then a strange warmth on his chest. He looked down and saw a small tanned hand resting on his chest. 'NARUTO'S TOUCHING ME. WHAT DO I DO? WHAT DO I DO?'

Naruto grinned childishly at the now crimson Itachi.

"Why are you blushing," He teased, "I'm only doing what Shikamaru's mom did when he was feeling sick! Though she put her hand on his forehead... and why is your heart beating so fast?"

Itachi just stayed quiet and ignored the color in his cheeks. Correction, his whole face was burning. They sat there in silence until footsteps were heard, and an angry Sasuke emerged, followed by Mikoto. Mikoto's facial expression could practically be read, 'I'm sorry. I tried to buy you as much time as possible.' Though when she saw the position Naruto and her son were in, she was beaming.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, NII-SAN." Sasuke yelled, running towards Naruto and pulling him away from his older brother. Sasuke gave him one last glare, before dragging Naruto to his room.

Itachi stared after his ray of sunshine before looking back at his mother. She was holding in laughter, but since she was a Uchiha, who were trained to repress a lot of things, Mikoto was able to do so successfully.

"What were you doing?" She tugged her son towards the study. Although she didn't expect many answers, she kept asking questions.

"What was HE doing?"

"What did you talk about?"

"Why were you blushing?"

"What happened to the plan?"

Itachi sighed before answering his mother's incessant questions. "I was sitting on the floor because my heart was beating so fast. He put his hand on my heart, to make me feel better. We didn't talk much. Why do you think I was blushing? I was in such close proximity of my... _crush_. I never even thought about the plan."

Upon hearing her son's answers, Mikoto stopped outside of the study. Turning slowly around, she examined her oldest son. He had actually answered her questions. Which he hadn't done in what, six years?

"You answered my questions." Itachi frowned. His mother was most definitely going crazy.

"And?" He asked. Mikoto watched him for a couple seconds, before a smile crept onto her face. His love for Naruto was changing him in positive ways already.

"And nothing. I was just surprised." She answered, sliding the door to the study open. Itachi stepped inside and settled himself on the floor, while his mother got comfortable in his father's chair.

"Alright," She started, "Tell me everything."

Itachi was now lying on his bed. He couldn't sleep, his mind was torturing him. He quietly sat up and looked down at his chest. The skin that Naruto had touched was still tingling. Naruto-kun was his first crush, and he felt strangely attached to the fox boy.

Itachi considered what everyone's reactions would be if he told them he liked Naruto. His fan girls would attack Naruto, his Anbu team would tease him, and the villagers would most likely reprimand Itachi for even looking at the Jinchuuriki. In other words, his reputation would be ruined. Itachi sighed and lay back down. He knew what liking Naruto would mean, and it was stressing him. To Itachi, this amount of stress was normal, but to an average 14 year old boy, they would be committing suicide before you could say, "Relax!"

Itachi pulled the covers over his head and tensed almost every muscle in his body. This was his way of relieving stress. After about a half hour, he relaxed his muscles and got into a comfortable position before falling into a deep slumber. He had cleared his mind of all thoughts before falling asleep, but one thought seemed to have survived.

"_Not once did Naruto even mention Sasuke while he was with me."_


	3. The Training Grounds

**Oh man, I am SO SO SO SO sorry. I totally gave up on this story, but then had this sudden burst of inspiration. I've been really busy as well, I have Finals all of next week, so I'm killing myself studying and getting like 6 hours of sleep every night. As of this day, I will be a better author, BELIEVE IT. So just for you guys, I wrote an extra long chapter. At least I hope its longer-ish. Just know I tried to cut it off at an appropriate moment. =)**

Itachi had woken up at the crack of dawn, and this was normal for him, because being a Konoha shinobi meant waking up early to train. He got his weapons ready, and gently set them in the pouch that was tied to his thigh. Closing the door behind him, Itachi looked up to the sky. It was still dark outside, but the east side of the village was basking in a golden glow from the sun's rising. He had recently been experiencing emotions he had never felt before, and he hated not knowing what to expect. Tucking his bangs behind his ear, he took a deep breath and broke into a sprint.

The pounding of his feet against the ground was like music. A continuous rhythm. Thump Thump Thump Thump Thump Thump. _Just 4, 329 more steps until I get to the training ground. 7 more hours until Sasuke is waking up. 3 days until I see Naruto again. 81 hours to plan what to say, what to do, how to react._

Itachi heard footsteps behind him, and he increased his speed. No one could keep up with him.

"Itachi? Itachi, wait!" Itachi froze. He would know that cheerful voice anywhere.

"Naruto?" Itachi whispered. No reply came. Uncertainty crept into his mind, and ridiculous scenarios made their way into his head. He turned slowly around, scared it wouldn't be the person he wanted; but there he was, shining in all his glory, Uzuamki Naruto.

Greetings were exchanged, and a strange silence settled over the two. Itachi, being the oldest, was the one to break it.

"What are you doing up so early in the morning?" He asked, nodding up at the sky to prove his point. Naruto remained quiet; staring at the roof of the building they were standing on and occasionally sneaking glances at Itachi. Being an Anbu captain, Itachi caught all of these and they only made his ego bigger.

"I... I was going to train. And I saw you come by, and I guess I wanted... to train with you?" Naruto whispered shyly. He looked up at Itachi with wide blue eyes and the most innocent expression Itachi had ever seen, and Itachi had seen a lot of innocent faces. _And I end up killing them all..._

Naruto saw the horrified expression on Itachi's face and took it for rejection.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I, uh, am heading to another training ground. So yeah, bye, Itachi-sama." He stuttered. _No, no, no, no! No! I'll train with you. I will. If only I could get... the blood, the screams, the fear, out of my head. Think of Naruto. Naruto's smile. His whiskers, his eyes, his lips. His voice._

"I could come with you! I'd enjoy helping you train very much." Itachi said, snapping out of his stupor. Naruto stopped himself from jumping up in relief.

"Thank you, Itachi-sama." He beamed, wiping his sweaty hands on his bright pants.

Itachi nodded and took off. _He looked nervous. I wonder why?_

After Naruto failed to dodge several expertly thrown Kunai, Itachi suggested a break. In fact, Itachi was starting to feel the strain of so little sleep.

"So, how's Sasuke?" Naruto asked as he leaned against a tree. The rough bark scratched him, so he lay on the ground instead. He subconsciously started to pluck grass from the ground; although his eyes were boring into the sky.

"He's fine." Itachi answered shortly. He so badly wanted to hold that hand. Without even thinking, he placed his hand over Naruto's, halting his bad habit. Naruto sat up and looked at their hands. He then looked up at Itachi's wide eyes. He grinned. _Why is he smiling? Is something funny? I need an excuse for holding his hand._

"You were ruining the grass." Itachi stated. He tried his best not to blush as bright as a tomato.

"Was I really?" Naruto asked, raising his eyebrows. He liked teasing Itachi, it was his favourite pastime nowadays.

"Yes."

"Hmmm. No one has ever bothered to stop me before."

"..."

"It's okay, you know."

"What is?"

"You wanted to hold my hand."

"..."

"Itachi? Itachi? Itachi! Are you okay?"

"Are you okay? Itachi, answer me! ITACHI?" Itachi heard a voice yelling at him. _But are they really yeling? Are they just loud? _He slowly opened his eyes, and when his eyes had finally adjusted to the bright lights being shined in his eyes, he saw a blue eyed kitsune looking down at him.

"Naruto. How long have I been passed out?" He croaked. _Has my voice always been this... scratchy?_

"Itachi! About two hours... so, how are you feeling?" Naruto chirped; he was kneeling beside Itachi, and his hands were fluttering over Itachi's body, looking for a place to rest. Itachi ignored Naruto's questions and struggled to sit up, and if it wasn't for Naruto's firm hands pushing him back down, he might have actually succeeded.

"No. I will _not _let you get hurt again. You are staying here," Naruto's voice faltered when he saw Itachi's pained expression, "at least until the color has returned to your face."

"When did you become such a nurse?" Itachi whispered, a small smile appearing on his face when Naruto blushed.

"Never. I'm simply worried about an acquaintance." Naruto huffed, crossing his arms.

"I'm only an acquaintance? Not even a friend?" Itachi asked, and his smile widened as Naruto frowned.

"No, you're a friend." Naruto retorted.

"Alright. I prefer being a friend, then." Itachi genuinely smiled, but it was wiped off his face as Naruto looked down at his lap. _Oh no. I didn't mean that. I want to be something more, Naruto. Only when you're older._

Naruto didn't answer. Itachi watched as the small boy's body started to tremble and his fists clenched. Itachi panicked and sat up, ignoring the pain that seared through his whole body. Wrapping his arms around the blonde, he raised a quivering hand to the boy's head and gently stroked the soft hair. The trembling finally stopped and Itachi slowly let go, as much as he wanted to hold on forever.

"I think I should go home." Naruto said. His voice was emotionless. _I must have really hurt him._

"You did." Naruto growled, looking up at Itachi with tears forming in his sky blue eyes. He hadn't realized he'd said it out loud.

"Naruto... forgive me. I didn't mean it in that particular way." Itachi said, frowning at his Kitsune. _There I go, claiming him again..._

''What other way is there?'' Naruto asked helplessly. Itachi was stuck. He couldn't tell him. Not yet.

''You'll... have to figure it out yourself. One day you'll know, Kitsune.''

''Kitsune?''

''What about it?''

''Why did you call me Kitsune?''

''It's an affectionate name, don't you think?''


	4. The Hokage Monument

**Note: Okay! So here it is dear readers. The long chapter. It was practically two chapters put together. So I hope to make each chapter from now on about 3 quarters as long as this, maybe a little longer or shorter. Uhm, that whole part in the end was in the first episode. And I took what they were saying word for word. I'm changing the rating to teen now because of the content in this chapter. And as they both grow up, which is beginning to happen now, more violence and adult themes will be added. If this story even gets that far. Yes, there was a time skip in the middle of the chapter, Itachi is now 17 and Naru is 12. (At end of chapter, beginning they're almost 15 and almost 10) So I hope you enjoy this chapter. It has a lot of fluff in it. I thought it was kinda cute. And thank you so much for the reviews. I'm answering them at the bottom from now on. I love you guys! =)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, all the guys would be gay! Except for a couple.**

It had been three days since their last encounter. So when Itachi heard his name being called by his favourite blond, his heart raced.

''Itachi-sama!''

''Hello, Kitsune.'' Itachi was standing in his doorway, half clad in his Anbu uniform. He had just come back from a mission. It was meant to be a short mission, an assassination, but it had turned out him and his team had been gone for a full day and a half. The person they were to assassinate put up a good chase. Itachi had made sure to take off the most obvious accessories of his uniform before presenting himself to Naruto, but he had failed to notice one thing. His Anbu tattoo was perfectly visible.

''What's that?'' Naruto inquired, pointing at the tattoo. A feeling of dread replaced his usually (Somewhat) cheerful attitude around the blond.

''This? This is... a symbol of the Uchiha clan.'' Itachi said clearly, sending a warning look towards his little brother standing awkwardly beside Naruto. Sasuke nodded at Itachi, but not before sticking his tongue out at him.

''Is it really? Does Sasuke have one?'' Naruto asked, looking over at his best friend.

''No...'' Itachi answered, struggling to come up with a reason. ''It's because... he's not old enough.''

''When will he get one?'' Naruto just kept belting out questions.

''I got mine when I was... 13.'' Itachi said, thinking back to when he became an Anbu captain. It had almost been two years now.

''Will Sasuke get one too, then?''

''I'm not sure.''

''Why is it a tattoo though?''

''To show our complete devotion.''

''Did you _have _to get it?''

''Yes.''

''So you don't get a choice.''

''Yes and no.''

''What do you mean?''

''_Naruto._''

''Sorry. Bye, 'tachi. See you later. C'mon, Sasuke.''

Itachi watched as the two walked away. A thought struck him once they were out of view. '_Tachi? Well that's a new one. _Itachi grinned at himself and continued to take off his uniform. Once he was done thinking about his Kitsune that is. When he had stored it all away, he changed into some more comfortable clothes and was standing in front of his mirror in the dark, the grin still plastered on his face.

''What are you grinning at? And with the lights off? Creepy.'' Mikoto laughed, stepping into her son's room and turning on the light.

''Oh, you know, things.'' Itachi whispered, his mind still in a faraway place where ninja's didn't exist and Naruto and him were completely in love.

''Things like Naruto-kun for example?'' Mikoto laughed, looking out the window. She was watching the scorching red orb drift to the west.

''Maybe. I've got to get some sleep though, Oka-san.'' Itachi said. He had taken the band out of his hair and was running his hands through the sleek curtains of black that covered his face. He turned to look at her and gave her a small smile. She understood he needed his sleep, especially after having been awake for a day and a half.

''Alright, have a good sleep. Dream of angels, Itachi.'' She quietly turned out the lights, walked out of his room, and closed the door behind her. When Itachi heard the door click into place, he settled into the mountain of blankets inhabiting his bed and breathed deeply.

''Angels. Angels like Naruto.'' He whispered into the darkness. Itachi Uchiha fell asleep to an image of a blue eyed child bearing wings watching over him.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

''Itachi?'' He heard a familiar voice whisper, ''Are you awake?''

''Hngghhhhh.''

''Guess you are now.'' Itachi heard them chuckle, not too far from his bed. He was too tired to lift the blankets and check who it was. In the end, the blankets were lifted from his thin body and a cold gust of air made him shiver. He opened his eyes, and Naruto was standing over him.

''I'm sorry to wake you, but Sasuke said to ask you where the towels were.''

''N-no. It's a-alright.''

''...''

''Zzzzzz...''

''Itachi! I'm really sorry, but if you tell me now you can go back to sleep.''

''Ri...ght. They... they're... in, in, in that... that closet.''

''Which one, 'Tachi?''

''That one.''

''That doesn't help me.''

''The one... r-right outside the door.''

''Thanks. Sleep well.''

''Wait, Kitsune.''

''What is it? You need your sleep, I don't want you dying of sleep deprivation.''

''Stay...''

Naruto remained quiet. He wanted to stay, but he really needed to take a shower.

''Alright. I need to go shower, but I'll be out really quick, okay? I'll come back after.'' He whispered, wrapping the blankets around Itachi.

''Okay... I'll... wait.''

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

It felt like an hour later, but in reality it had been only 17 minutes.

''I'm back, 'Tachi.'' Naruto said quietly. He sat beside Itachi on his bed and debated whether or not to wrap himself up in one of the blankets. Before he could make a decision, a hand was wrapped around his waist, and he was pulled into the bed with Itachi. He kicked and punched him, but nothing would make him let go.

''Itachi,'' Naruto breathed, ''I need to go to Sasuke's room before he gets worried.''

''No.'' Itachi said sternly. He only held on tighter. He could feel Naruto's dripping wet hair soaking through his shirt, but he could care less, as long as he was with him.

''Itachi, please.'' Naruto pleaded. He was already feeling tired. It was so warm underneath the covers, and Itachi's body heat was only making it more comfortable.

''Hmmm... fine.'' Itachi sighed. He loosened his grip on Naruto enough for the blond to slip out of his grasp. Naruto made sure to tuck the blankets around Itachi once again, not wanting him to be cold. He then hesitantly leaned over Itachi's forehead, and after a couple seconds of uncertainaty, he pressed his moist lips down. Itachi trembled a bit when he felt Naruto's lips brush his forehead.

''Night, 'Tachi. Sweet dreams.''

''_Good night, Kitsune. I love you.''_ But they were unspoken words.

''Good morning, Nii-san.'' Sasuke chirped, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

''Morning, Otouto.'' Itachi said back.

''Are you and Naruto like best friends or something?'' Itachi automatically perked up at the mention of Naruto's name.

''I wouldn't call it that... why do you think so?'' Itachi answered. He was curious to hear his brother's answer.

''He's always talking about you.'' Sasuke stated. He was picking at his breakfast.

''He talks about you all the time as well.'' Sasuke looked up at his older brother. Could he be telling the truth?

''Does he really, Nii-san?'' Sasuke asked, his eyes shining.

''He does.'' Itachi raised an eyebrow at his younger brother. Itachi knew that just by saying this, he had made his brother's day. Sasuke beamed.

''I have to go to the academy now, Nii-san. I'll see you later. Bye, Oka-san, Oto-san!''

''Bye, Otouto.''

''Don't forget your lunch, Sasuke! I love you!''

''...''

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO **Time Skip** OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

''It's okay, Naru.'' Itachi whispered, wrapping an arm around the blond.

''It's not okay, Itachi. I actually tried this time, and I failed.'' Naruto retorted, staring disappointedly at the village beneath him. Itachi and Naruto had come to the Hokage Monument on Graduation day, to discuss Naruto's failure.

''It _is _okay. You'll simply have to try harder, and you'll get it. I know you will.''

''I won't.''

''What happened to your dream of becoming Hokage? You can't be Hokage if you don't try hard.''

''I know.''

''So, what will you do about it?''

''I don't know.''

''Naruto.''

''What?''

''_Naruto._''

''Itachi.''

''Don't be upset. I'll treat you to ramen.''

''Ramen? Why? There isn't anything to celebrate.''

''Of course there is. There's more to Graduation day than just becoming a Genin or not.''

''Like what?''

''You've been at the academy for 3 years.''

''Meh. I can't anyways.''

''And why not?''

''Mizuki-sensei asked me to meet him in a bit.''

''Why?''

''I'm not sure. He said something about graduation.''

''Hmmmm...''

''I should get going then, 'Tachi. I'll see you later, kay? And thanks for making me feel better. I can always count on you.'' Naruto smiled at Itachi and wrapped his arms around his neck. They stayed in that position for a couple seconds before Naruto pulled away.

''Bye, Kitsune.'' Itachi called out into the sunset.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The next time Itachi heard about Naruto was a couple hours later.

''Itachi-kun! Uzumaki has taken the Scroll of Sealing. We must retrieve it before it gets into enemy hands, they could destroy everything the village has worked for!'' A female shinobi yelled as he was taking a walk. He nodded at her and took off towards the Hokage tower, where Konoha nin usually met in case of emergency.

''As you all must have heard, Naruto Uzumaki, a student at the academy, has stolen the Scroll of Sealing. This could harm the village, so we must take action. Find Naruto and retrieve it. Scatter!''

Itachi leaped gracefully from branch to branch. _Where are you Kitsune? Why did you do this? _He jumped to the ground and broke into a sprint. The only sounds in the forest were his rapid breath and frenzied footsteps. _What do you hear, Itachi? What is it? It's... a voice. No, 2... 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8... So many voices. Who are they?_

Itachi jumped onto a tree branch, infusing his feet with Chakra to soften his landing. He activated his Sharingan and scanned the trees for any sign of movement. _Where are you, Naruto? I can't see you. Please, just- an orange jumpsuit. There you are._

Itachi hurried in the direction he had seen Naruto. Trees hurtled passed him in a blur as he ran even faster. When he saw an orange-clad ninja lying on the ground looking all worn out, Itachi froze and stayed crouched behind a tree. He was laying beside a small wooden building. _Why are you so scratched up? What happened? Have you been training... you didn't. You wouldn't. _

Itachi noticed that the large scroll sitting beside him had been opened, and ran up a nearby tree to get a look at it. _Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu? But that's the forbidden form of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu! _He was about to call out to Naruto and reprimand him, but Iruka beat him to it.

''It's all over.'' Iruka said, laughing angrily. He leaned down in front of Naruto and placed his hands on his hips. Naruto smiled sheepishly and stood up, scratching the back of his head. ''Already, not bad. You're quick, sensei. I only had time to learn one technique.''

''Listen, Iruka-sensei!'' Naruto looked up at Iruka before rambling. ''I'm going to show you this amazing Jutsu and you're gonna let me graduate and then everything will be okay! That's the way it works, right?''

Naruto jumped up in excitement. ''Anyone who learns a Jutsu from this scroll passes!''

_What? Who told you this?_

''Huh?'' Iruka asked incredulously, ''Where'd you get that idea?''

''Mizuki-sensei told me about it, Believe It! He told me where to find the scroll, and this place...'' Naruto trailed off.

_Mizuki? Manipulating a child?_

Iruka stared disbelievingly into the distance. He whirled around just as a shower of Kunai was coming straight at them. ''Look out!'' Iruka yelled, pushing Naruto out of the way. Itachi watched as the Kunai lodged themselves into Iruka and pinned him against the wall behind him.

''I see you found our little hide-away.'' Mizuki said coldly.

''So that's the way it works, huh? I should've known!''Iruka winced as searing pain came from every wound in his body.

Mizuki was sitting crouched on a tree branch, a large shuriken strapped to his back. Naruto stared in terror at Mizuki.

''Naruto! Give me the scroll, now!'' Iruka shouted, his eyes set on Mizuki.

''Wait a minute... what's going on here!'' Naruto asked uncertainly, looking back and forth from his sensei to Mizuki. _What does Mizuki want? Why Naruto? _Itachi thought to himself, ready to jump in if any harm came to Naruto.

Iruka gasped as he pulled a kunai out of his flesh. ''Naruto! Don't let Mizuki get the scroll! It contains forbidden Jutsu that could put this village in grave danger! Mizuki used you so he could get the scroll for himself, for his own power!''

Naruto tensed in disbelief.

''Naruto, Iruka's just trying to scare you because he doesn't want you to have the scroll!'' Mizuki said calmly. Naruto gaped at the men.

''Stop lying, Mizuki! Don't let him trick you, Naruto!''

''Oh I'll tell you who's really lying!'' Mizuki laughed. _No. No, no, no. He can't. He wouldn't. Not that._ Itachi got into a fighting stance.

''No, Mizuki!'' Iruka screamed. Panic was clear in his voice.

''They've been lying to you your whole life, Naruto. Since the decree twelve years ago.''

''W-what decree?'' Naruto asked. He was staring at Mizuki, curiosity evident in his eyes.

''Everyone knows except you, Iruka's trying to hide it from you even now. He'd do _anything_ to shut me up!''

"What is this decree? Why does everybody else know about it?"

"Don't tell him! It's forbidden!" Iruka yelled anxiously.

"The decree is no one can tell you the Nine-tailed Fox is inside _you_!"

Naruto's eyed widened as he processed what had just been told to him. _No! Why? Why is he doing this to Kitsune! _Itachi trembled with rage, but stayed where he was.

"The Fox spirit that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed our village has taken over _your _body. You _are _the **Nine-tailed Fox**."

"Stop it!" Iruka yelled furiously.

"They've all been sneaking around, hiding things from you your whole _life! _Didn't you think it was strange how they treated you? _Like dirt! _Like they hated you for _just _being _alive_!"

"No! No, no, no, no, no!" Naruto shouted, chakra circling his body. _Naruto. Kitsune. Naru._

"Naruto..." Iruka said helplessly.

"That's why you will never be accepted in this village! Even your beloved sensei hates your guts!"

Iruka writhed in pain and placed his hands over a bleeding gash.

"Die, Naruto!" Mizuki yelled, spinning the shuriken around his fingers and aiming at the shaking blond. Itachi watched as the Shuriken flew towards Naruto. He got ready to jump in, but stopped himself.

"NARUTO GET DOWN!"

Naruto shut his eyes and crouched low to the ground. Itachi stared at Naruto's trembling body. Iruka was kneeling over top of Naruto. A shuriken poked out from his back.

Mizuki gasped. Itachi frowned. Naruto gaped. Iruka cried.

"Why?" Naruto asked looking up at his sensei.

"Because we're the same. When I lost my parents, no one seemed to care. They didn't have time for me. They just forgot I was there. My grades dropped, I became the class clown, I just wanted them to see me, to know my name." Tears dropped from one face to another. "My schoolwork wasn't good enough to get their attention, so I did crazy things. And then I had to pay for it. It was hard. I know that's how you feel, Naruto. You feel lonely and it hurts inside. And I could've been there for you more. I let you down, I'm sorry. No one should have to suffer that much. No one should be alone like that." Iruka finished, sniffing.

Mizuki laughed cruelly. "Don't make me laugh! Iruka always hated you! He was orphaned because the Nine-tailed Fox killed his parents. And that beast is now inside you. He'd say anything to get the scroll from you!"

Naruto pushed Iruka off of him and broke into a sprint. ''Naruto!'' Iruka shouted after him.

_Naruto. You've suffered so much. I'm sorry. _Itachi stood up from his place in the tree and ran off after the blond. Naruto ran as fast as he could, but the weight of the scroll prevented him from running very far. Naruto stopped in a slightly less crowded area when he heard voices and two 'Poofs' as if they were dispelling a Jutsu. Naruto leaned against a tree, clutching the scroll in his arms and trying to quiet down his breathing so he could listen to what they were saying. Little did he know, Itachi was sitting in a tree nearby, staring at him.

''You're a fool! Why are you protecting that freak! He's the one that wiped out your family!'' A familiar voice yelled. Mizuki.

''I don't care what you say. You're not getting your hands on that scroll.'' Another voice said. Iruka-sensei.

''As if you could stop me. Don't you get it, Naruto is just like me!''

''How's that?''

''He wants the scroll for his own power, and his own vengeance. That's how beasts are. He'll pour all his rage into the scroll and destroy everything.''

''You're right.'' Naruto gasped. Itachi watched Naruto bow his head.

''That _is_ how beasts are,'' Iruka continued, ''But that's not who _Naruto_ is. He's nothing like that! Naruto's one of a kind. Works hard, puts his whole heart into it. Sure he messes up sometimes, and everyone jumps on him. But his suffering only makes him stronger. _That's_ what separates him from being a beast. So you're wrong; he's _nothing_ like the nine tailed fox. He's Naruto Uzumaki, of the Village Hidden in the Leaves!''

Naruto was crying at this point. _Oh Naruto._ Itachi sighed at the young boy whom he had developed a crush on.

Mizuki stared carefully at Iruka. He grabbed another shuriken from his back, pointing it at him. ''You really believe that drivel? Iruka, I _was_ gonna save you for later, but I changed my mind. You're finished!'' Mizuki ran towards Iruka.

Just as he was about to reach him, Naruto came out from behind the tree and sent Mizuki flying with a kick in the face. The shuriken was thrown into a group of trees.

Both Mizuki and Naruto skidded on the ground, struggling to stand up. Naruto now stood protectively in front of his sensei, his hand holding the scroll upright against the dirt.

''Not bad, for a little punk.'' Mizuki was crouched on the ground.

''**If you **_**ever**_** lay a hand on my sensei, I'll kill you.''**

''Such big words. I could completely destroy you with a single move!''

''Take your best shot, fool. I'll give it back to you a thousand fold!'' Naruto countered, lifting his hands in front of his face in a cross shape.

''Let's see you try! Show me what you can do, Nine-tailed Fox!''

''Shadow Clone Jutsu!''

Iruka stared in disbelief as the student who he had failed just earlier that day easily made thousands of shadow clones appear. They were not illusions. They were solid. Itachi moved out of the way before the clones saw him. _Naruto... I had no idea! _He shook his head and grinned.

Mizuki was horrified at the sight of so many clones.

''What is this?''

''Over here!'' ''Come and get me!'' ''I'm right over here!'' ''Come on!''

''**If you're not coming, then we're gonna come after you!**'' The clones yelled in unison. Itachi closed his eyes and listened to the terrified screams of Mizuki as he was beaten to a pulp. When he finally heard the clones disappear, he opened his eyes again and saw Naruto approach Iruka, who was leaning against a tree.

''I've got something I want to give you.'' Iruka said.

''What is it?''

''Just close your eyes...''

''Sensei, how much longer!''

''Okay, you can open your eyes.'' Iruka was now standing up in front of Naruto.

Naruto just stared at him.

''Congratulations, you graduate! And to celebrate, I have a surprise! We're going out for ramen tonight!''

Naruto still only stared.

''Huh?''

''Iruka-sensei!'' Naruto launched himself at Iruka. Itachi smiled and got up from his place in the tree. _I really shouldn't disturb the moment, but I need to talk to Naruto..._

''Naruto?'' Itachi called. Iruka and Naruto looked up. From the expression on Itachi's face, Naruto could tell he would have to do some talking.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

''So?'' Itachi asked, placing a hand on the blond's head.

''So nothing. I've got nothing to tell, Itachi, really.'' Naruto shook the hand from out of his hair and put his head on Itachi's shoulder instead. Itachi wrapped an arm around Naruto. They were sitting on top of the Hokage Monument again, their favourite place to talk.

''Alright. Fine.''

''Are you mad, 'Tachi?''

''Not at you. Never.''

''...''

''Naru?''

''Hmm?''

''I... I... I, uh Lo-...''

''Just spit it out.''

''Nothing. We should get going, Kitsune.'' Itachi said, getting up and catching Naruto to make sure he didn't fall.

''Itachi! What is it!'' Naruto whined, grabbing Itachi's hand and pulling him back down. Itachi lifted Naruto up bridal-style and ignoring Naruto's complaints started walking down the long set of stairs.

''Itachi!''

''Naruto.''

''_Itachi_!''

''Yes?''

''Teme.''

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

**Saya420: Yeah, I'm really glad too. Thank you very much!**

**SanctumSyte: Thank you very much! I'll try my best! **

**Lemrinth: Go ahead, I'll laugh with you. Their relationship is progressing so fast! And I'm guessing you mean that in a perverted way? Haha.**

**Another note: You guys meet a lot of new characters next chappy, so look forward to it. It might take a little while because I have to get all of their personalities just right! Love you! :D**


	5. The Attack

**Okay, so sorry for taking so long. I've had Finals this whole week, and now they're finally over! Just two more days of school and I'll be able to update quicker. So here it is, Chapter 5. Thank you so much for all the reviews. They make me really happy. I know I said you would meet new characters, and you sort of did. It'll be explained in later chapters, promise. I think I might do the next chapter in Naru's P.O.V.; what do you think? –WTR xD**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, all the guys would be gay! Except for a couple.**

-x-

Itachi sighed in exhaustion. He was staying up once again waiting for Naruto and Sasuke to come home so he could hear about their new teams. He was sitting on the edge of his bed holding his head in his hands. Light filtered in through his messily hung drapes and illuminated his face. Itachi groaned. _How much longer Otouto, Kitsune. _Knowing Naruto, they'd most likely stopped at Ichiraku's for some 'celebratory' ramen.

''Nii-san! We're home!''

Itachi couldn't suppress a grin. He stood from his perch on the bed and stretched his stiff muscles. He turned to exit his room, but before he could take a step a body collided with his.

''Itachi!'' Naruto yelped happily, inhaling the scent of his beloved Itachi-sama. He leaned his chin against Itachi's chest and looked up at him with shimmering blue eyes. Clutching the soft material of Itachi's shirt, he smiled in contentment.

''Naruto-kun, how was your day?'' Itachi asked politely. He looked down at the young boy who was violating him, and ran his hands through the blonds' bed head.

''It was awesome. I've got so much to tell you, 'Tachi! Can we go to Ichiraku's?''

''Didn't you just go?''

''...''

''Naru, you might get sick from-!''

''Don't say it. Don't, Itachi.'' Naruto said sternly. He gingerly reached for Itachi's hand and led the teenager to his favourite place in all of Konoha. Itachi gave up on trying to secure Naruto's health for the future. Naruto and Itachi arrived at Ichiraku's after a short walk, and sat down. Itachi ordered a bowl for himself and one for Naruto.

''Okay. So there were a lot of people at the orientation! And guess whose team I'm on! I'm on Sakura-chan's... and Sasuke's! And guess who my sensei is? It's Kakashi. He was so late! And I pulled a prank on him, and he fell RIGHT for it. Can you believe that? And then we shared some information on ourselves, and I talked about ramen, and Sakura acted all weird. She couldn't get all her sentences out, and she kept giggling and looking over at Sasuke. Weird, right? So tomorrow I have to get up early for a survival test. That's what Kakashi said. And we're not supposed to have breakfast for some reason. Anyways, Kiba, Hinata, and that guy Shino are all on a team. As well as Ino-pig, Shikamaru, and Chouji. I still haven't heard who their sensei's are. Also, you know how Sakura was all weird to Sasuke? Well Hinata is doing the same thing, but to me! She gets all red, and sometimes she faints! I really don't get it. So how was your day, 'Tachi?" Naruto belted out as he finished his third bowl of ramen.

Itachi started dazedly at the blond. He still wasn't used to his incessant ramblings. Itachi shook his head before giving a well thought out answer.

"You're on Otouto's team? That's great! Kakashi-sensei, huh. Don't underestimate him, Naru. He's tougher than he seems. Also, try not to be too hard on him for being late. He has his reasons. Sakura seems to have developed a crush on Sasuke, if I heard right. As for Hinata, I'm not too sure. My day was excruciatingly painful, thank you for asking."

Naruto's eyes were wide. "Painful? What happened?"

Itachi frowned and set his chopsticks down.

"Well, I went on a mission. I, uh, passed out, and was left open to attacks..."

"Itachi-sama! Are you alright?" Naruto exclaimed. He was so worried he abandoned his ramen and started to inspect Itachi.

"I'll be fine, yes."

"Are you not fine right now?"

"...no. Not exactly."

"Where are you hurt!''

''Just relax, Kitsune. I won't die.''

''I _know _that... wait... why did you pass out in the first place?''

''I was exhausted.''

''Are you not getting enough sleep, 'Tachi?''

''No, Naru. I'm not.''

''Why not?''

''I, uh, I'm busy during the night.''

''And during the day?''

''I have missions. As well as seeing you every day.''

''Itachi... You can't get hurt... not because of me.'' Naruto whispered, looking down at his cold ramen. Itachi furrowed his brows. _Don't feel guilty. I'll just try to get more sleep..._

''I'm done, Itachi.'' Naruto said. He smiled at the old man who was leaning over a bowl. He looked back at Itachi as he got up off the stool, never taking his eyes off of him. Itachi wrapped an arm around his shoulders and turned to pay. After some lengthy goodbyes, they were off to Naruto's apartment.

''You don't have to walk me home you know.'' Naruto stated, looking around at his dark surroundings. He lived in the poorest part of the village, although his apartment was decent thanks to old man Hokage.

''We've been over this at least a thousand times, Naruto. I will not let you get hurt.'' Itachi said sternly. His grip tightened around Naruto's shoulders as a gust of wind brushed past them. _It's unusually quiet._

His hand slowly reached towards his weapons pouch. He did it with his utmost discretion so Naruto wouldn't realize and get worked up about it. A shadow moved in an alley to his left, and Kitsune stiffened, but kept walking after a moment's hesitation. Itachi squeezed his shoulder to let him know that he knew too. They kept walking in the moonlight, but kept their eyes trained on the shadow. Naruto suddenly placed his hands against Itachi's chest, and with all his strength managed to push him out of the way of a Kunai. Itachi's heart raced as he watched the Kunai implant itself in Naruto's right upper arm.

''Geez, Itachi. Get yourself together.'' Naruto winced. He turned to look at the dumbstruck teen beside him and gave him a grin.

''The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, is it?'' A raspy voice called out from somewhere in the darkness. Naruto flicked the Kunai out of his arm and stood in a protective stance above Itachi.

''Uzumaki Naruto to you, Baka.'' Naruto growled. Itachi was still shocked at Naruto's reflexes. _How had I not seen this coming?_

''You've got an attitude, as I can see.'' The voice said again, much louder this time.

''Who are you? What do you want?'' Naruto yelled into the blackness of the street.

''Your power. The Nine-tails.'' Naruto froze. They always came for him. Ever since he was a kid, that was all anyone wanted from him.

''I wish you could take it. I don't want it.'' Naruto whispered, staring blankly at a piece of trash floating by. His grip on the Kunai loosened, and Itachi could see his hand trembling. _Ugh, what's wrong with me? Why can't I get up? Why... I'm so... I'm so tired... I can't... No! Naruto... I'm sorry... I just... Nar...u...to..._

Itachi vaguely remembered blacking out.

-x-

_Where am I? _

_..._

_Where's Naruto? _

_..._

_Hello? _

_..._

_Where is this place?_

_..._

_Naruto!_

-x-

''-ACHI NO!''

Itachi groggily opened his eyes, and found a sword at his throat. The air was filled with the metallic scent of blood. He stared his assaulter head on, carefully calculating how to get out of this death trap. He could still barely move. _He must have slipped some knock-out powder in my food._

He heard a whimper beside him, and he barely turned his head, trying to be as discreet as possible. Naruto was curled up on the floor. His clothes were ripped to shreds, and a viscous red puddle was forming next to him. The same red liquid was dribbled over his lips, his nose, his arms, and his stomach. Tears trailed freely down his cheeks, and mixed with the red, creating a watery pink fluid. His hands were overlapping each other, and a Kunai was pinning them onto the cold dirt.

''I couldn't, Itachi. I couldn't. I was scared. I tried so hard.'' Naruto sobbed, biting his lip to control himself. _Naruto. It's okay. I'll get us out of here. I promise. _

''Don't cry, Naru. It's okay. It's going to be alright.'' Itachi whispered, looking back at the man standing over him. He could feel the cold metal of the sword pierce his neck. _I will... Never. Ever. Let anyone touch you again._

Summoning up his strength, Itachi took the man by surprise. He rolled away from the sword wielder and struggled to stand up. He activated his Sharingan and paralyzed the man in a matter of 3 seconds. He slowly walked over to the man and stood above him, a crazy smile forming on his face. Taking the sword out of the man's hands, he raised it above his head.

''Close your eyes, Naru.''

-x-

Itachi shook himself awake. He had been sitting beside Naruto's hospital bed for a couple hours every day, and the fatigue was finally getting to him. He reached for his favourite blonds' hand and stroked the tanned skin. He now had long scars on both hands. This was day 5 of Itachi's hospital visits.

''Wake up, Naru... please, I need you.''

...

''I miss you. I want you here with me.''

...

''I want to hear you laugh, see you smile...''

...

''Itachi-sama?''

-x-

**Kay so, reviewers...**

**Gone and forgotten.: Aww, thanks! =)**

**Lemrinth: Well, I was trying to take a cuter approach. Thanks!**

**Saya420: Thank you! You are like one of my most loyal reviewers!**

**mi5tan: Muahaha, Yay indeed.**

**chibiluffy-sama: Aww, thank you!**

**sousie: Yes ma'am.**

**Please review! The next chapter will be out soon! Love you guys! –WTR.**


	6. The First Date

**I was rather bored today, and I decided to write another chapter. I added a cute chapter, which hardly helps the story progress, but stuff **_**does **_**happen. This is written in Naru's P.O.V. by the way. Being the horrible author I am, I still haven't figured out the purpose of that attack last chapter. But I will. Anyways, enjoy Chapter 6 of, "A Mother's Intuition: Crushes." –WTR 3**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, all the guys would be gay. Except for a couple.**

-x-

"Naru, would you like to go out somewhere with me today?"

"I'd love to!"

"I'll come get you before lunch, then."

"Is this... a date?"

-x-

Naruto stared at his reflection. He wore his typical mussed up hair due, and was freshly scrubbed after an early morning shower. He smiled at himself and checked for anything in his slightly sharp teeth. He then straightened his snug black t-shirt. _I look good._

"Alright, Naruto. Listen up. This date is going to be amazing. You can't ruin it with your idiocy." He said out loud, examining his backside in the mirror.

"Hey, Naru." Itachi said.

"I-itachi! How did you get in my apartment?" Naruto asked, whirling around and covering his face with his hands so Itachi wouldn't see the blush.

"The door?" Itachi smirked, reaching out to Naruto. He placed his hand on Naruto's neck and pulled him forward into his arms.

"Ah... yes, of course." Naruto whispered, melting into the embrace. He lowered his hands from his face and placed them on the Uchihas firm chest. Itachi pulled away and the blond reached for his hand.

"Ready?" Itachi led the boy through his front door. Naruto turned around and locked said door, nodded, and gave Itachi his best smile.

-x-

"So what do you want to do today, Kitsune?" Itachi asked, frowning at the dark clouds cultivating on the other side of the village. Naruto's eyebrows furrowed in thought and he unconsciously started to pace.

"I'd like to play games." Naruto finally said. He stopped pacing and looked up at Itachi expectantly. The man in front of him grinned.

"Games it is, then. What type of games?" Itachi asked. He casually looked around before wrapping an arm around the boy's waist and leading him towards the forest on the outskirts of the village.

"Games... like I spy." Naruto chirped. He leaned into Itachi muscular body and let himself be led. They walked for a couple minutes, enjoying the silence that had settled between them. _I could get used to this_.

"Okay. Do you want to go first?" Itachi said when they had reached a clearing in the broad forest. He examined the ground below him before sitting down. Naruto wavered slightly before sitting down on his lap. He felt Itachi stiffen in surprise and then relax.

"I spy with my little eye something that is..." Naruto murmured as he wrapped his legs around the older boy's waist and snuggled up to him.

"Red." Naruto finished, gently stroking the skin underneath Itachi's right eye.

"My Sharingan?" Itachi whispered, activating his bloodline. Three black commas swirled in blood red.

"That's right. Your turn." Naruto nodded. He sighed in contentment and shut his eyes.

"I spy with my _Sharingan _eyes something that is... orange." Naruto's first reaction was to look down at his clothing, but he realized he was not wearing his favourite color. He could feel the eldest Uchiha smirking, and moving one of his legs so he was sitting sideways, he playfully elbowed him in the stomach. Itachi played along and gave a low moan.

"You've wounded me, Kitsune." Itachi stated. Naruto only stuck his tongue out.

"I doubt there's anything else orange." The blond frowned.

"Look, Naru." Itachi stated, looking pointedly at a group of Sakura trees nearby. Naruto followed his gaze, and his eyes landed on a beautiful group of trees, but the tree closest to him caught his attention. There were orange ribbons tied on every branch, and they swayed in the light breeze. As he looked closer, he saw two initials were carved into the tree. _N.U. + I.U._

"Awwww! 'Tachi!" Naruto squealed, burrowing his head into Itachi's neck.

"Do you like it?" Itachi smiled at the beaming young boy on his lap.

"It's amazing! But how did you know?" Naruto stared at the tree as if in a trance.

"I took a wild guess." The Uchiha said. His hand found a comfortable position on Naruto's waist.

"I thought Uchihas knew everything?" Naruto teased.

"You must have thought wrong then." Itachi murmured, rubbing his nose against Naru's. _Itachi... you're so... so, so... amazing._

-x-

"So what game next?"

"Tag! You're it!"

-x-

Dark splotches began to appear on the ground after five rounds of Tag, two games of Hide-and-Seek, and six of I Spy. They were now taking a break from their childishness and walking around the village.

"Itachi... It's raining." Naruto whined, tugging on Itachi's arm. He looked up at the grey clouds above him and groaned. Rain was _not _one of his favourite things.

"I know, Naru." Itachi answered. He quickly sought out a store and entered, dragging the blond along with him.

"What are we buying?" Naruto asked impatiently. The rain had put him in a foul mood. Itachi just pulled him towards the back of the store where brightly coloured umbrellas in several shapes and sizes adorned the walls.

"An umbrella. Pick whichever you want." Itachi said. He gently pushed the small boy forward and watched him examine each umbrella carefully. He would pick up each one; consider their weight, the price, and how large they were.

"Hey, 'Tachi, what's your favourite color?"

"Blue... why?" Itachi answered. Naruto only shook his head, disregarding Itachi's question, and went back to looking.

At last he grinned at an orange and blue striped umbrella. He handed it to Itachi who smiled at him.

"Why did you pick this one?" Itachi asked as they walked towards the front of the store where they would pay.

"Orange is my favourite color. Blue is your favourite color. And this umbrella signifies our first date." Naruto answered coolly. He looked out at the street from behind Itachi. A young man held a young woman's hand as they shared an umbrella, laughing loudly. Itachi placed a reassuring hand on Naruto's shoulder, but it wasn't much of a comfort.

-x-

Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Itachi huddled together underneath the umbrella Naruto had picked out. The rain was now coming down in buckets. Their feet were soaking wet, as their shinobi sandals didn't do much about water. They had been walking towards Naruto's house, when Naruto remembered he had left the key to his apartment back at Ichiraku's.

"Why'd you do that?" Itachi asked incredulously.

"W-well, knowing how I l-lose things at least t-twice a day, I f-figured I should leave my key with ol-old man Ichiraku, si-since I stop there e-every evening before g-going home, and he'd k-keep it safe for m-me. I l-leave it there ev-every morning b-before heading t-to the training f-field." Naruto explained. He was soaked to the bone, and wished they could get to some shelter.

''I'm c-cold...'' Naruto shivered, moving closer to Itachi.

''I know, Kitsune. Let's find some shelter.'' Itachi murmured as he wrapped an arm around the trembling blond. He spotted a slide not too far away and managed to drag Naruto towards it. Itachi motioned for Naruto to crawl underneath. When the blond did so, he quickly shut the umbrella and dove beside him to avoid getting wet.

''Can we change positions?'' Naruto whispered. He climbed onto Itachi's lap and wrapped his legs around his waist, then leaned against him.

''Hmm, I definitely enjoy this one.'' Itachi teased, leaning against a metal pole and putting his arms around the blond. Naruto looked up at Itachi, and blushed at the close proximity of their faces. Itachi's hand crawled its way up to Naruto's face and gently traced his whisker marks.

''Uhm, yes. I like it... hmmm... better, too.'' Naruto stuttered. He could feel his cheeks burning, and Itachi's hand movements were just worsening the blush. The blond looked up at the darkened sky and paled. _Its okay, Naruto. It can't get you. Not with Itachi here._

"Are you okay, Naru? You look pale." Itachi asked; his tone tinted with worry. He removed his hand from Naruto's face in fear of the blonds' discomfort.

"Yes." Naruto answered, grabbing Itachi's hand and holding it against his face. He gazed into Itachi's charcoal eyes, while Itachi stared into his own sky blue eyes. The two young men slowly leaned into each other. Just as their first kiss was about to happen, a crack of thunder echoed.

Naruto cried out and clung to Itachi's torso. Itachi, being quick to react, held the sobbing blond until he could mutter coherent sentences.

"I-I... I'm... a-afraid o-o-of th-thunderstorms."

"Oh, Kitsune... It's okay. I'm here with you. You're alright."

"Th-thank-you."

The eldest Uchiha held the Kyuubi vessel until he had more or less calmed down. Then they waited for the rain to slow into a light drizzle. When both things had been accomplished, they got out from underneath the slide, opened their umbrella, and headed to Ichiraku's.

-x-

"H-hey, old man." Naruto called out. He lifted a hand in greeting and gave a trembling smile. Itachi stood motionless beside him, worry clear on his face.

"Hey, Naruto. How many bowls would you like today?" Old man Teuchi smiled, although his eyes dulled at the blond's pale face. His daughter, Ayame, frowned at Naruto.

"Actually, I j-just came to get my k-key." Naruto replied. He leaned over the counter and lifted a decorative vase, revealing a rusty key. The old man furrowed his brows and gave Naruto's hair a ruffle.

"You okay, kid?" he asked, squinting at the blond. Naruto only grinned back and nodded.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow morning, alright, old man?" the so called old man sighed.

"Bye, Ayame!" Naruto shouted, already turned around and on his way home.

-x-

"So..." Itachi whispered, breaking the silence that had accompanied them since stopping by Ichiraku's.

"I ran out of things to say, as surprising as that sounds." Naruto answered. He yawned and loosened his grip on Itachi's hand, gently swinging their intertwined fingers back and forth out of boredom.

"Very surprising." Itachi agreed. He had to squint his eyes to be able to spot Naruto's door, a couple feet away. It was already dark, and the only light was harboured by a nearby lantern.

"Hey, 'Tachi?" Naruto murmered, stepping underneath the lantern, and his face was illuminated. He pulled Itachi in front of him, took the umbrella out of his hands, and shut it. Almost immediately, he felt a raindrop collide with his face. _Stupid rain. You have to ruin everything don't you? Well not this. I won't let you._

The blond gently placed his hands around Itachi's neck. Stood on his tip-toes. Breathed in. Breathed out. Tilted his head. Shut his eyes. Leaned forward. Touched lips. Leaned back. Smiled.

Both boys simply stared at each other, basking under the glow of the lantern. _I did it. I kissed Itachi. Oh. I kissed... I kissed him, didn't I? I did it._

"I've got to go home. I have a mission..." Naruto trailed off. He focused on Itachi's facial expressions, his body movements. _I did something wrong, didn't I. I'm sorry. _After what seemed like eternity, Itachi finally reacted. "Naruto... thank you."

"Thank... you? For what?" Naruto asked, tilting his head in confusion. He had been expecting a scolding, not a thank you.

"For doing what I was too scared to do." Itachi replied, smirking at Naruto's cuteness.

"No problem. I enjoyed it, too." Naruto smiled proudly. He was so happy that he shut his eyes, and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

"Let me finish walking you home." Itachi whispered, lifting the blond into his arms in a swift movement.

"Hey, teme!" Naruto complained, thrashing his arms and legs around in an attempt to be put down on the ground. When he realized it was only a couple more steps until reaching his apartment building, he sighed in defeat and let Itachi carry him the rest of the way.

"Here we are." Itachi stated, putting the furious blond on the ground.

"Yes, thank you. I couldn't have figured that out myself." Naruto answered, reaching for the door handle.

"You're welcome. I'm only thinking of your well being." Itachi laughed, before wrapping his arms around his precious fox. Naruto felt the anger flood away, and he hugged Itachi back just as tightly.

"Good-night, Kitsune." Itachi whispered in his ear.

"Good-night, teme." Naruto said. When he managed to open the old and rusting door, he stepped inside the corridor. Waving at Itachi, he shut the door. In that moment, everything that happened in the day flashed through his head, and he had to lean against the door to keep himself from falling over.

_I've got to get into my apartment before jumping around like a school girl. _Once he had cleared everything from his mind, he sprinted up the stairs onto the third floor, where his apartment was situated. His hand trembling, he slipped the key into the lock and eased the door open. Once he was safe inside his apartment, he collapsed against the door, unable to repress the urge to squeal any longer. After one long screech came from his lips, he lay against the cold tile and watched the moonlight reflect off the sleek surface.

_I think I'm in love with Itachi Uchiha._

-x-

**So how'd you guys like it? I hope you enjoyed it, and that it wasn't **_**too **_**boring. Please review, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter! Love you guys! -WTR**

**Reviewers:**

**chibiluffy-sama: Aww, thanks. And you'll find out somewhere in the next couple chapters. **

**saya420: Awwww, thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**mi5tan: I know, right. I'm the author who's making him this way. =(**

**Gone and forgotten.: Thank you!**

**Sesshomarubaby18: Here's an update for you.**

**Shalonda: Thanks. I'll try to make it even better!**


	7. The Separation

**So I hope you guys like this chapter. And sorry about it being so late, I was feeling seriously unmotivated. Negative thoughts were just brewing in my head. Haha, but now I'm all good, ready to write. I'm just **_**starting **_**to figure out this whole story, and I've got a couple ideas, I just need to work up to them. Love, WTR!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, all the guys would be gay! Except for a couple.**

-x-

The sky was flushed a dark orange as the sun woke from its slumber. An eerie silence fell upon the busy village of Konohagakure.

-x-

Naruto sighed as he stuffed clothes into his backpack. Team 7 had been called on rather early for a mission. Escorting a bridge builder, Tazuna, back to his homeland. _I wish I had a chance to say goodbye to Itachi... _

He zipped up his backpack, took one last look around his bedroom, and headed down the stairs after having locked his apartment door and scribbling a note to his 'boyfriend'. They had agreed on what to call their relationship a couple days ago. The streets were quiet as it was early morning, and most people were asleep. A strange feeling had invaded his stomach, and he squirmed uncomfortably in attempt to get rid of it. _What is this? Is it excitement? Apprehension? Guilt... Sadness. _

"Dobe?" He heard someone say beside him.

"Teme. Good morning." Naruto said. He frowned when the feeling suddenly worsened.

"Are you feeling alright? You look kind of... I'm not sure. Un-Naruto like." The Uchiha said, cocking his head and inspecting his friend. Naruto grinned at him, and he seemed to buy it.

"I'm excited about this mission. Though it doesn't sound as cool now since he's a _Bridge builder_..."

"Hn. I don't think it makes a difference. It's going to be a simple mission. I won't even get a scratch."

"I doubt I'll even have to make a shadow clone."

"Hn."

Naruto spotted a mop of pink hair at the front gates, and he waved. The pinkette ignored his greeting like always, and chose to bother Sasuke instead.

Naruto turned to look at the large building bearing the Uchiha Crest in the distance. A string of thoughts entered his mind, but he chose the least revealing sentence to say out loud.

-x-

"Hey, teme. I've got an escort mission. Be back in a week or so, it's in the Land of Waves. You should have noticed the absence of your brother. If not, you're a bastard. But weren't you always? –Naruto" met Itachi at the door of Naruto's bedroom. He'd gone ahead and opened the front door himself, not wanting to rouse the blond from his sleep.

"Oh, I'm a bastard?'' He retorted quietly. He almost wanted to push open the door and lay a kiss on the sleeping Kitsune's forehead, but the Kitsune was awake and on his way to the Land of Waves.

''Do you know how much I'll miss you, Naruto?'' Itachi whispered. He traced the messy writing with a trembling hand. He'd been trembling a lot lately; almost in anticipation.

''Guess I won't be seeing you for a while...'' The Uchiha said as he left the apartment. Little did he know, Uzumaki Naruto had uttered the same words at exactly the same moment.

-x-

Itachi left that night with his Anbu team by his request. He didn't want to stick around the village when his object of affection was away.

''Weasel, what's your situation?'' A feminine voice asked through his ear piece.

''Two guards. One is dead; the other is on the brink. It appears both their windpipes have been damaged with a... Katana. Strange symbols are covering their faces and arms, multiple wounds around their wrists. It looks like they put up a struggle; dirt and blood are dried on their fingernails. What's your situation? And remember, Cobra. I'm your captain, I'll ask the questions.'' Itachi replied. He was crouched behind a group of rocks, facing an abandoned fort and watching one of the mounds outside a rusted door shake.

''Sorry, captain. I keep forgetting that you're my superior. It looks like a nasty battle went on. There are 1,2... 4... 7, 8. 8 bodies, all with the same injuries you described, except they're all dead. No tracks, no evidence that anyone was there... except for the bodies of course. Doesn't leaving the bodies take away from the whole don't-get-caught-killing-people thing?'' Cobra chuckled.

''Dolphin, what do you see?'' Itachi asked, ignoring Cobra's last sentence.

''One body. Same injuries. I... uh, nevermind.'' Dolphin trailed off.

''Relax, Dolphin. Tell me what you think. '' Itachi said.

''A murderer wouldn't leave the bodies... they'd take, bury, hide, burn or even change the physical appearance beyond recognition in order to avoid being convicted! Unless there was a reason...'' Dolphin cried.

''A reason? Like what? Like bait?'' Raven asked.

''It's possible, but let's use some reverse psychology right now. If they originally wanted us to inspect the bodies physic- wait. What if we've already fallen into their trap? A certain distance from the bodies... what will we do, captain?" Dolphin was getting carried away now.

"Relax dolphin. We're alright. Cobra didn't spot anything, and neither did I." Itachi said. He changed his position so he could prevent his leg from falling asleep.

"Weasel... could it be him?" Cobra whispered.

"I don't know, Cobra." Itachi was fed up with Cobra's constant accusations of the man she had spent most of her life with, Dolphin's worrying, and Raven's frequent questions.

"Captain... I was thinking... why the strange markings? All four of the dead men in front of me have them. But there's something odd. Like each one is specific. Could it be some sort of tracking Jutsu? Are they putting the bodies in certain positions? Is it just a coincidence that this warehouse was broken into just miles away from the village that was wiped out last week? Is there a certain time period before the person can use the Jutsu again, if it even is a Jutsu? Is there a limit to the amount of people they can use it on?" Raved murmured.

"Raven, I must admit I've come up with a blank. Those are some important questions to be asking, but I have no answers at the moment. We should look for any evidence that isn't visible from our current positions." Itachi answered. He adjusted his mask and jumped onto the biggest boulder, making three swift hand signs that called his team over to him.

Dolphin leaned down and picked up a small pebble, tossing it at the body nearest to them. When the pebble made impact, the body started turning black, flames engulfing it. The Anbu team stared in silent horror as the evidence vanished. Cobra reached into her pouch for a kunai, then pointed it at Dolphin.

"BAKA! You just destroyed our evidence!" Cobra shouted, throwing the kunai so it gave Dolphin's mask a small scratch and landed in a tree behind him.

"Dolphin..." Itachi didn't have to say anything else, because Dolphin fell to his knees, begging for forgiveness.

"Get up. That won't make the body come back." Raven spat. Dolphin whimpered and stepped away from the team, determined to not mess anything else up. Itachi reassuringly patted Dolphin on the back as he walked past him.

Cobra huffed and made a point to bump into Dolphin on her way by.

"Cobra..." Itachi warned. The warehouse the guards had been protecting hadn't housed anything important to a shinobi... so why the break in? Unless they had been showing what they could do. _To provoke fear, maybe? A threat?_

"Voice your thoughts, Weasel." Cobra said as she crouched beside the Uchiha.

"That's enough, Cobra! You are not Captain of this team!" Itachi shouted. He got up and walked around the rest of the warehouse, ignoring the shocked silence of his team. _Not seeing Naruto for a long time... not knowing if he's safe or ran into any trouble... is really frustrating._

-x-

Itachi stood outside the Konoha gate, pretending to be on an early morning stroll when he was actually waiting for his beloved Naruto to return from his mission. When a young blond tackled him to the ground, his heart raced.

"Naruto!" Itachi breathed. He wrapped his arms around the fox and shut his eyes. "You're here..."

The blond chuckled and shrugged Itachi's arms off, choosing to take his hand instead. They stood up together and walked hand in hand to Naruto's apartment.

-x-

"So... how was your mission?" Itachi asked. He was lying on Naruto's bed, with said Naruto in between his legs and leaning on his chest.

"It was... incredible, I guess. I've got a lot to tell you. I'm just... kind of tired, y'know?" The blond yawned, shut his eyes, and snuggled closer to Itachi.

"Yeah, I do know... sleep well, Naru." Itachi murmured, stroking the young boy's soft hair. He looked through Naruto's window, watching the cotton balls float across the sky and form familiar shapes. _So this is what he wakes up to everyday? It's nice._

-x-

**So I hope you liked it. Please review, it makes me happy. And thanks for all the support and reviews so far, as well as favourites and subscriptions. Also, tell me what you think of it and if you want anything specific to happen, any side pairings, or if the characters are too OoC for your taste. Also, I don't know if you realized, but coming up with Anbu names and people to be on a team is rather difficult. So I added a made up character: Raven. His name is Karasu. He won't appear much, since I personally dislike OC's, but I was in desperate need for **_**someone. **_**Sorry for rambling! –WTR.**


	8. The Mission Pt 1

**So we've finally got some kissing going on here! Woot! I won't be **_**too **_**descriptive for a while. At least not until Naruto's a bit older. A make-out session between a 12 and 17 year old is equivalent to child molestation, in my eyes. So anyways, hope you enjoy the next chapter. And I want to apologize for the varying lengths of the chapters; some are super long, while others are short. P.S. I suck at action scenes, despite the fact I'm stealing from the anime/manga for this chapter. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN! Sorry, just building suspense. Love, WTR.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, all the guys would be gay. Except for a couple.**

-x-

Their lips brushed in the most hesitant way.

"Itachi. Doesn't your mother care that you're spending so much time here?" Naruto mumbled against the lips that were pressed to his.

"Of course. I just wanted to give you some time to sleep before you told me about your mission, that's all." Itachi replied. He pulled away from the frowning blond and looked down at his cup of instant ramen. Gently chewing on the soft noodles, he nodded his head for Naruto to begin.

-x-

**Sorry for the inconvenience, but being the lazy writer I am, I decided to just let you watch the Land of Waves arc yourselves. It would have taken way too long to write, plus I already feel bad for making you wait this long for this piece of garbage. So let's pretend Naruto gave this really detailed description. Now, on with the crudely written story.**

-x-

"S-Sasuke... died? _What?_" Itachi stuttered, his eyes widening in panic. Naruto chuckled softly before finishing off the rest of his ramen.

"Not exactly. Remember, Haku was too kind for the shinobi way of life. So he only did that thing with the senbon needles, where he froze your organs or something like that for a certain amount of time. He wasn't officially dead, so calm down or I'll resort to force."

"How have you gotten so intelligent, Naru?" Itachi teased, getting up to clean the mess of a kitchen. _He's always doing that. What a clean freak._

"Hey, 'Tachi? Why do you always clean my house when you're here?" He asked, frowning when Itachi mussed his hair.

"I can't stand to see you live like this. I feel bad for leaving you this way." Itachi replied, gesturing towards the sink loaded with dirty dishes.

"Sorry. I'm too busy to take care of myself properly." Naruto said, wrapping his arms around the Uchihas waist and nuzzling his face against the warm cotton shirt. He felt Itachi shiver, and decided to conduct a little experiment. He slowly snaked his hand into the inside of Itachi's shirt and gently stroked the skin beneath his fingers.

"N-Naruto. Stop that." Itachi breathed, using his elbow to nudge the hand away, as his hands were covered in soap suds.

"_Itachi!_" Naruto whined. He froze when he heard his pitch rise at the end of the word. "I'm... I'm such a whiner!" He said, gasping. Itachi found this highly amusing.

"Do you think I'm too whiny, Itachi-sama?" Naruto asked, rubbing his eyes with his fist.

"No, I like your whining. I do think you need some sleep though." Itachi answered. He glared at Naruto as the blond grabbed a cloth and began to dry the dishes, but couldn't glare for long. Naruto's expression was so innocent and adorable he thought he might pounce on his sunshine right there.

"I'm _not _going to sleep right now. I may be tired, but it's only 8. Also, you're here. Doing my dishes. I can't just sit around!"

Itachi disregarded everything the blond just said, and instead asked a question.

"How many hours have you been getting?"

"About 5 or 6 each night?" Naruto replied. He knew he couldn't lie around Itachi. Something about him made him so weak.

"Naruto. Please, get some sleep. I'm getting worried..." Itachi frowned as the blond just barely managed to catch a plate he had dropped.

"How many hours have _you _been getting, Itachi?" Naruto inquired. Itachi sighed at his rebellious attitude.

"Less... than that?"

"See! I knew it! You're just barely standing right now, Itachi." Naruto shouted, suddenly aware that he had put the cloth and the cutlery he had been drying down and now had his hands on Itachi's face, forcing him to look at him.

"Naruto... I can't sleep knowing that you could pass out from exhaustion at any moment."

"My thoughts exactly... except they were about you! Now, let's hurry up and finish." Naruto retorted, anger evident on his face.

"I'm sorry, Kitsune." Itachi murmured. Naruto gave a low groan in response. Once they had finished in the kitchen, Itachi gathered up his things and left through the front door. Not before his Kitsune had the last word, though.

"Itachi, you've been treating me like a child for long enough. Is it not okay for me to worry about you, too? Just because you're the oldest doesn't mean you have to shoulder all the responsibilities. Think about it, fool."

-x-

Itachi and Naruto hadn't spoken in days, and neither made the notion to do so. Sure, Itachi was secretly keeping track of where Naruto went and with whom, and alright, maybe Naruto had Sasuke checking in on his older brother frequently, but other than that, they were hardly communicating. It was made worse, however, when Naruto found Itachi in the Hokage's office, discussing a mission he was supposed to go on. The blond made sure to create as much noise as possible when he entered, disregarding Itachi's disapproving looks. Sasuke and Sakura were already there, and as always, Sakura ignored Naruto and instead clung to Sasuke's arm like a leech. When Sakura heard Naruto interrupting the Hokage, she immediately lashed out on him, and just as she was about to raise her fist to strike him, Itachi stepped in front of Naruto in a protective stance.

"Don't touch him. Ever." His voice was laced with so much venom that even Naruto had to flinch.

"S'okay, Itachi. She doesn't hurt me..." Naruto crumbled underneath Itachi's heated gaze, "That bad..."

"It doesn't matter whether or not she hurts you; I simply don't want her touching you, that's all." Itachi said clearly, relaxing his stance when Sakura let out a whimper. The Third Hokage gave a loud chuckle, bringing their attention back to him.

"We're glad you finally decided to make it, Naruto. Lucky for you, you've been assigned a C-rank mission. Even luckier, Itachi-kun here is going to be your ''Sensei'' for this mission. Kakashi's still out cold." The Third was one of the people whom knew and approved of Itachi and his' relationship.

"Ooh, ooh! What are we doing, huh? Is it something exciting? Will I finally be able to show off my-"

"Naruto-kun, I'd appreciate it if you'd be quiet." Itachi muttered. His voice still sounded threatening, but softened considerably when he spoke to his Kitsune.

"Sorry, Old man, Itachi."

"It's quite alright, Naruto. Continuing on, the mission is a simple escort mission, sort of like when you escorted Tazuna, except there won't be dangerous ninja lurking around."

"When do we leave?" Sasuke asked, shaking his arm out of Sakura's grasp.

"You'll be leaving tonight, if possible."

"Who're we escorting, sir?" Sakura piped in.

"Kenji-kun, please come in."

A teenager, around Itachi's age, maybe a year or two younger, stepped inside. He was tall, with chestnut brown hair that was rather simple, but his eyes made up for his absence of lavish good looks. They were a dark gold, and flecks of amber were littered here and there. He had long lashes and thin brows. His cheeks looked a little flushed, and he was naturally pale. He wore a pair of dark blue shinobi sweats, a large black t-shirt, a bright green vest and his arms were covered in bandages.

"Hi. I'm Kenji. It's nice to meet you." He said, bowing politely. He then looked them all over, his eyes lingering on Naruto's slim body before smiling widely at Sakura. Obviously, Itachi didn't miss this, but he made no comment on it. _He has a pretty _smile, Naruto thought. She smiled back with just as much enthusiasm.

"I'm Sakura, this is Sasuke-kun, that's Naruto, and-"

"Well, I'd like it very much if we could head out before nightfall. So please go get packed. I'll meet you all at the gate in two hours!" Itachi said. He wrapped an arm around Naruto's shoulders, leading him back to his apartment. He could practically feel Kenji's eyes on the back of his head.

-x-

"Hey, Kenji. You ready to go?" Naruto chirped, obviously in a good mood. He was free to run anywhere he wanted, because Itachi had graciously offered to take his bag for him.

"I'm ready, what about you?" Kenji gestured towards Naruto's empty hands, a confused look on his face.

"Oh, Itachi has my stuff." Naruto pointed at his boyfriend. Kenji followed his finger and his face turned sour when his gaze landed on the Uchiha.

"Oh. That's really nice of him." He said, trying to hide his obvious dislike of him.

"Yeah, it is, isn't it? He's really great." Naruto smiled before turning back to look at Kenji. The boy had a strange look on his face, and he appeared to be deep in thought.

"Hey, Kenji... you there?" He asked, waving his hand in front of his face. He finally settled for poking Kenji's cheek.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm here. Sorry, I tend to get distracted." He said, giving an apologetic smile.

"Am I not interesting enough for you?" Naruto cried, his hands flying to his face in mock despair.

"You're actually pretty cool, Naruto." Kenji grinned at the blond before reaching out to ruffle his hair. Naruto stuck his tongue out before replying, "I know. I'm amazing. Actually, you're pretty friendly yourself."

"Thanks-" He didn't have time to say anything else, though, because Itachi came over and rudely interrupted.

"Well, if we're done making acquaintances here, we can leave."

"Itachi, rude! Sorry, Kenji. He's being extremely emotional." Naruto mumbled, his cheeks turning a bright red.

"It's probably just sexual tension." Kenji smirked at the appalled face of the Uchiha. Naruto, however, burst into laughter, and had to lean against Itachi to prevent himself from falling over.

-x-

**So I felt the urgent need to update this before someone got pissed at me for taking forever and writing short chapters. I apologize. We meet my OC, Kenji! Yaaaay! He's a really fun character to write. So if you guys don't like OC's, rest easy. He'll probably only be in here for another chapter, just for the remainder of the mission. He's a generally kind person, who has a great sense of humour, beautiful eyes, and above average looks. So he's great. Haha. WOOO. ITANARU FLUUUFF. Please review, love you guys!**


	9. The Mission Pt 2

**Hey guys. Hope you like this. I recommend listening to, "Tears of an angel" By RyanDan for that tent scene. It made me cry, I don't know about you guys. Maybe it's cause **_**I **_**wrote it. Lol. Love you guys- WTR.**

**-x-**

"**Affliction comes to us, not to make us sad but sober; not to make us sorry but wise."**

**[H. G. Wells]**

**-x-**

The sky was blue, the trees were green, Naruto was cheerful, Sasuke remained emotionally inept, and Sakura was trying to gain Sasuke's attention. This day was simply another day in the lives of Team 7.

"Hey, Itachi?" Naruto called from his spot beside Kenji. The Uchiha nodded wordlessly, allowing Naruto to ask his question.

"Where are we going?" Sasuke and Sakura both froze at this. They had been wondering the same thing, as a matter of fact. Itachi's eyebrows rose slightly before he recomposed himself.

"I was told to not say." He replied dryly. The blond whispered something to Kenji before crossing the road and stopping in front of Itachi. The Uchiha sighed. He lifted an arm to Naruto's shoulder before gently pushing him to the side. "Is there something you need?"

"Yes, actually, there is. I need you tell me what I _did, _so I can apologize and you can stop being an asshole." Naruto said, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"You haven't done anything, Naruto. I'm simply reacting to the mission." Itachi said, staring straight ahead. Naruto groaned, but moved aside so Itachi could pass. As soon as the Uchihas back was turned, Naruto made his move. He leapt onto his back and tightly wrapped his arms around his neck. Itachi stiffened when Naruto whispered into his ear, "I won't get off until you tell me what _exactly _is wrong."

"Nothing involving you, Naruto." Itachi said. He kept walking as if he didn't have an extra 90 pounds added on his back.

"I need to know, Itachi. Really. I want to know what's troubling you so I can help." Naruto pleaded, leaning his head against Itachi's shoulder. The sun shone harshly on his face, so for the next couple of minutes he switched the way he was facing.

"Can you stop moving, Naruto?" Itachi said, ignoring the blonde's sigh. "Can you stop being a bastard? No? I didn't think so." Naruto retorted, tightening his grip on Itachi's waist. Kenji laughed at the comment, but was quickly silenced when both Naruto and Itachi sent a glare his way. Sakura stayed silent beside Sasuke, occasionally glancing behind them at the quarrelling couple.

"Naruto... fine. I'll tell you when we set up camp." Itachi mumbled. He was beginning to tire from the extra weight, but trudged forward anyways.

"You're tired." Naruto commented, his arms going slack as he dropped down. "Good observation, Naru." Itachi replied, shaking his head at the blond. Naruto grinned, pulled his backpack out of Itachi's grasp and went off to talk to Kenji.

"So, Kenji... do you know where we're going?" Naruto asked. He scrunched up his nose in displeasure as they passed a murky swamp. The air had turned musky and humid as a result. Kenji offered a similar reaction to the smell, despite being accustomed to it. "Of course I do. I just... can't tell." Kenji answered, tilting his head to look at the blond.

"Why not? We're going to find out when we get there, anyways." Sakura said, suddenly appearing beside Naruto. "See, Sakura-chan agrees." Naruto said, nodding his head.

Kenji smiled lightly at the knucklehead beside him. "If you're going to find out when we get there, why can't you just wait?"

Naruto stuck his tongue out, before leaning his head back to stare the clouds. "You're turning into Shikamaru, Naruto." Sakura teased, before leaving to accompany Sasuke again. In return, Sasuke remained as silent as ever.

"Hey! At least I walk while doing it!" Naruto shouted in mock anger. His smile betrayed him though, it was as wide as a smile can get. Kenji looked down at his hands, counting every small cut he had.

"Hey, Kenji? How'd you get those?" Naruto asked, reaching a hand out to gently stroke the nicked skin.

"Oh, I work with scrolls a lot... they're paper cuts." Kenji laughed at the blonds' expression. A mixture of surprise, worry, relief, and embarrassment. How a person could fit so many emotions into one expression, he did not know.

"It's okay, you know." He said, trying to reassure Naruto. When Naruto frowned, he wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"I wasn't worried..." Naruto lied. His eyelids started to drop, but he fought the fatigue away. Kenji seemed to notice this, but decided not to comment. The brunette was surprised when he felt Naruto lean in towards him, taking comfort in the warmth.

"You look kind of tired." He whispered, looking down at the head of gold. Naruto nodded slowly before falling limp in his arms. "Naruto? Damn it!"

Itachi heard the sharp yell, and turned around just in time to see his blond fall to his knees, appearing unconscious. He ran towards Naruto, ignoring Sasuke's insult as he pushed past him. Kenji stepped out of the way and watched Itachi pick the blond up in his arms, carrying him as if he were a pillow rather than a young boy.

-x-

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was an angry looking Uchiha.

"I thought I told you to get more sleep." Itachi said dryly. He was currently kneeling beside him, his bangs falling over his eyes. He wore a pensive look on his face. _If I didn't know any better, I would call him cute._

"You're cute." _Damn it. What if he kills me?_

A smirk quickly appeared on his face, but he wiped it away just as fast. "Don't change the topic."

Naruto huffed before turning onto his side. He realized they were sitting in a tent, and the sound of rain pitter-pattering could distinctly be heard outside. The raindrops left thick, wet trails on the gray fabric.

"Sorry. I was worried about you." He answered honestly. Itachi couldn't help but sigh at his blond.

"And _I _was worried about _you_!" He whispered, climbing into his own sleeping bag. Naruto lay back down on his back, but his gaze was still set on the side of the tent.

"So you're okay with me being worried now." Naruto concluded, his voice monotone.

"I was always _okay_ with it, I just didn't particularly _like _it." Itachi replied. He unconsciously snuggled deeper into his sleeping bag. The tent was freezing, and the rain was even more so. He was looking for more warmth, but not the type he could find in his sleeping bag.

"Are you cold?" He asked the mound beside him. Naruto shook his head lightly. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I shouldn't have reacted in such a manner."

"It's okay, I guess. You'll know better for next time." The Kitsune whispered. Itachi frowned, "Next time?"

"I won't ever stop worrying about you, Itachi. You're just such an important person in my life and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I feel the same way, Naruto." Itachi mumbled, fighting the blush threatening to crawl onto his cheeks. He knew he shouldn't feel embarrassed, but he couldn't help it. This was a special moment.

"I love you, 'Tachi." It felt like his heart was swelling with pride. This was the first time his blond had said so.

"I love you too, Naru." He said right back, emotion causing his voice to crack.

There was enough light in the tent so he could see Naruto's eyes glisten with tears. He quickly moved his sleeping bag beside Naruto's so he could wrap an arm around the blond. "Hey, hey... everything's alright." He murmured, embracing the warmth that was Naruto.

"Where is everyone else?" Naruto asked, his voice hoarse from the thick lump in his throat.

"They're in another tent, right beside us." Itachi answered, frowning when the blond let out a hushed wail. Naruto pressed his back against Itachi and let the sobs wrack his chest. "Shush, Naruto. I'm right here."

"Thank you. I... I've just never really had anyone like you in my life. Someone that I could cry in front of. I've never liked showing my weakness..." Naruto mumbled, lifting a hand to wipe away his tears, but Itachi stopped him.

"You can cry in front of me, Naruto. I _want _to hold you, to be able to comfort you. It's okay to cry. Sometime life gets hard, and all you want to do is stay in your room, wear comfortable clothes and just cry. I've felt that feeling so many times. But you get through it, with the help of other people..."

The rain didn't appear to want to stop, and neither did Itachi's words, so Naruto didn't try to contain his next sob. Or the one after that, or even the one after that. He just let Itachi hold him, keep him together.

-x-

The next morning was a gloomy one. This fact only made Naruto dread seeing his friends more. His misery was plain on his face; he wasn't up to hiding it today.

"Naruto? Itachi-sama? Are you ready to go?" Sakura's voice carried through the thin fabric of the tent.

"Just one minute, Sakura." Itachi answered, frowning slightly at Naruto's pale face and dull eyes. "Naruto, cheer up, okay? They'll be worried about you."

"Like you already are." Naruto muttered. Itachi took his hand and lifted it up to his lips. "Naruto, you're lifeless. I want you back." The blond stiffened and slowly let a small smile onto his face.

"I guess so." Naruto whispered before placing a light kiss on the Uchiha's lips. He stood up quickly, dusted off his pants, and stepped out into the cold air outside. Itachi remained shocked inside of the tent.

"Morning, Sakura-chan, Sasuke." Naruto grinned at his teammates, but it was painfully obvious that they didn't believe his chipper attitude. Not today, at least.

"Can I talk to you, dobe?" Sasuke said, startling both Sakura and Naruto. The blond sent him a questioning gaze, but he walked away into the forest. Naruto raised his eyebrows at Sakura and quickly followed behind him.

"What's up, teme?" Naruto asked, tilting his head as he leaned against a nearby tree. Sasuke merely stared at him, his eyes like black coal. A raven stooped down onto the branch above Sasuke's head, making the scene just that much more ironic. Sasuke's voice was muffled by a sudden onslaught of wind, but Naruto could tell from the look on his face that he had heard him crying.

"-seriously think I'm that stupid? Any ninja would have known."

"I just needed to cry. Seriously, Sasuke. There wasn't a real reason." Naruto replied, arms flailing. Somehow Sasuke understood Naruto's unwillingness to reveal the real reason, so he pushed past the blond, leaving him once again confused.

-x-

After a cold breakfast of instant ramen, Naruto was ready to leave. He was still pondering Sasuke's sudden inquiry, but decided not to ask. The sun had now decided to appear, giving everything a slight glow. There was a light breeze, occasionally blowing through Sakura's hair, which was the scent of strawberries. At least that's how it smelled to Naruto. He was once again walking beside Kenji, making small talk.

"So, why did you need guards? Are you carrying something important? Wait, could _you _be an important person?"

"Naruto, that was rude. Apologize." Sakura shouted, slapping the young boy. She apparently had forgotten Itachi's threats. Itachi hadn't bothered to stop her, anyways. He deserved it.

"Itachi, you bastard." Naruto said, not looking at his boyfriend. His gaze was currently set on the landscape in front of them. It was like a barren wasteland. There was no grass, no foliage, no animals, and no water. It was like a desert, yet so unlike it at the same time.

"Where _are _we? What happened? What is this?" Naruto asked as his eyes widened in fascination. Kenji managed to answer him before Itachi. "This... is a war zone." He shot a smug look at Itachi before continuing. "Have you guys heard of the war of fourteen years?"

"The war, which ironically lasted 14 years, as Mika Ishikawa of the Hidden Rock village predicted. It was fought between the Lightning and Earth countries. Because the Earth country refused to give up one of its territories, the Lightning attacked. There were thousands of casualties. In the end, the Earth won." Sasuke said, as if he had been reading out of a textbook. Both Sakura and Naruto gawked at the young Uchiha, while said Uchiha remained unfazed by their looks.

"That's right, Sasuke. This is where it happened. Before the Lightning won the battle, the Earth set fire to the land, with the help of some Konoha shinobi, killing several Lightning nin." Kenji nodded at Sasuke, approval clear in his eyes. Sasuke merely stared ahead, seeming to have lost interest in the conversation.

Itachi yawned as he fell into step with his younger brother.

"Say, Sasuke... you haven't noticed anything weird about... Kenji, have you?" Itachi whispered, managing to keep his face as emotionless as usual.

"I have, actually. I'd say he enjoys watching Naruto. Other than that, no." Sasuke replied lazily. His brother remained pensive for a couple minutes before giving a loud sigh.

"You've only scratched the surface, Otouto. He won't stop _talking _to him either."

Sasuke chuckled quietly at his brother's anxiousness. "Possessive, are you?" He teased. Itachi glared in response.

"Hey, 'Tachi. How much longer?" Naruto's voice cut through their small conversation.

"Just a couple more hours, Naruto." Itachi answered, not bothering to look back. That was when a dart lodged itself into Kenji's thigh.

"Shit! Kenji!" Itachi shouted, appearing beside the boy and sitting him down on the ground. "I'm going to have to pull this out, okay?" He quickly pulled it out with a wince and flung a Kunai back in the way the dart came. The sedative was already spreading through the boy, making him sway.

"Kenji, are you alright?" Sakura asked, falling to her knees beside the pale brunette. Kenji gave a slow nod before his head fell limp in her lap. Sakura gave a startled cry, looking up at Itachi with wide eyes. The eldest Uchiha only shook his head at her.

"Itachi, wait! What happened to him? Why are we being attacked?" Naruto shouted, hovering over top of Kenji.

"He got shot with a sedative. He could be out for hours. As for why we're being attacked, I'm not sure. But for now, head into formation Y." The Uchiha said, quickly scanning their surroundings. Up was clear, no movement. Left, clear. Right, clear. The only one left is... down. He managed to step back before a heavy set man clad in a dark cloak managed to strike.

"The boy! Where is the boy?" The man shouted in a deep voice which suited him quite well. He was looking wildly all around him, as if he was blind. Itachi then noticed his headband. The blue fabric was a darker shade due to the sweat the man produced. The metal plate's engraving was chipped, but still readable. Itachi tried to summon up the name of the village that bore that symbol, but was unlucky.

"Why have you attacked us?" Itachi asked, unconsciously stepping closer to Naruto on his left. The man smirked as his gaze landed on Kenji. His eyes were still unfocused, but somehow he managed to spot the brunette.

"The boy. Kenji Saga. You have him. I can smell him." That was when it struck Itachi. The Village Hidden in the Darkness. They lived underground, and specialized in Jutsu involving Dark Matter. It was a deadly type of Jutsu. Over the years, the people of the Darkness had honed their other senses, due to their vision being rendered useless in the dark. Their nin frequently came out from underground, usually to steal from other villages. No wonder this man is blind. He must be in severe pain, being exposed to the sunlight.

"Why is it that you need Kenji Saga?" Itachi questioned. Naruto was beginning to squirm in desperation. "Naruto..." He said in a soothing tone. The man seemed to notice his comforting of the blond.

"He has committed several crimes against the Village Hidden in the Darkness." The man replied, though he made no move to take Kenji away.

"The Village Hidden in the Leaves was ordered to guard him until he reaches his destination. Until then, we won't let you take him." Itachi stated.

"Itachi, what the hell? We won't let you _touch _him, you got it?" Naruto shouted, glaring darkly at Itachi.

"Alright. Fine. You won't _touch _him." Itachi said, frowning at the blond. The man guffawed, clutching his belly before smirking at the young blond and then at Itachi.

"Is that so?" He asked, sarcasm evident in his tone. Itachi stiffened, preparing for the worst. And he was right. The worst did happen. In a half a second, Naruto was being pressed into the man's broad chest, A Kunai knife lightly nicking his skin. His eyes were wide in fear as he tried to struggle. White hot anger shot through his veins and tinted Itachi's normally pale face a light pink.

"Don't fu-" Itachi started, but was cut off by a proposal that made him absolutely sick.

"I will torture him using violent methods even for the Village Hidden in the Darkness. I'd skin him, scalp him, I'd whip him, de-nail him. Maybe I'd use my favourite, _castration_. But you don't want this to happen, do you? Give me Kenji Saga, and I'll let him go."

**-x-**

**Alright. I must admit I'm disappointed. I got one review for the last chapter. I used to get almost 10 reviews for each chapter. Seriously, if my story is getting bad, please tell me and I'll discontinue. If you think I could improve on something, please say so. I would really like to know these things. Rant over. Hope you guys liked this chapter. Sorry for taking so long. And I enjoyed googleing different torture methods. Anyways, please review. Love you guys, WTR.**

**In The Mix: Thank you so much for reviewing. Seriously. I love you. Hahah, we haven't quite gotten to that stage where Naruto can help with that problem. Lol. **


	10. The Darkness

**Sorry for taking so long! Enjoy!**

**-x-**

"**Fears are nothing more than a state of mind."**

**[Napoleon Hill]**

**-x-**

I could see the despair in his eyes. I was only a Genin, and I could clearly see it. Now he was wearing that look he always gets when he's in deep thought. The man trying to abduct me wouldn't know that, of course. After a couple seconds of scenarios, Itachi made up his mind.

"Take him. He's not of any worth to me." The words felt like they were tearing my heart in two. How could he? How _could _the bastard say those words without even _wincing_? But somehow, I knew. Itachi had come up with a master plan that would end nicely. I ignored my inner self that told me that knowing was simply me hoping. The man holding a kunai against my neck seemed satisfied with Itachi's answer, and easily lifted me into his arms.

"Alright then. I'll make sure he enjoys _every _bit of his visit." The sound of his voice sent a shiver down my spine. Holding me with one arm, he began making hand signs with his free hand. I tried to fight the sudden wave of drowsiness that overcame me, but I couldn't hold it off for long. The last thing I saw before my eyelids dropped heavily was a vibrant blend of red, black, and white.

-x-

I'd gone blind. I couldn't see anything. It was all dark. I knew better, but couldn't stop myself from screaming out for someone. Any sane person would have done the same thing, if they were tied up and on the floor in the dark. I tried to force my wrists apart, but the rope seemed to have been made out of chakra. I soon realized this was the same case with my ankles. Even worse, my whole body felt strangely numb. A cold liquid dripped onto my face from above, and I had to roll over so it would trail off. I was lying on hard stone which was slightly damp from whatever substance was dripping from above. My breath ghosted back against my skin as I lay face down, listening to the quiet 'drip drop' of the substance hitting the floor. My stomach churned angrily. "I'm hungry..." I whimpered, curling into myself. By the time I worked up enough courage to yell again, I was practically bored to death. You never know when you'll be alone.

"Hello? Is anybody here?" I asked, glancing warily around me, but only meeting pitch black. _I'm really hoping my eyes just haven't adjusted yet._

A sharp pain in the back of my head caused me to wince. My head was finally beginning to clear up, as brief memories flashed before my closed eyes. A tall brunette with amber eyes. A vast warzone. A piggyback. A dart piercing skin. I couldn't make sense of what it was, but a feeling of dread filled my stomach. Exactly like when you drop from a high altitude to a low altitude and your stomach goes berserk.

"Is somebody in here with me?" I shouted, but only an echo answered me. _Where am I? What is this place? Why am I tied up? Is this some sort of trap?_

My mouth felt strangely dry, but there didn't seem to be anybody around to offer me water. I could feel the liquid seeping through my thin jacket. _Well, this is certainly uncomfortable_. I tried to sit still, but being the, "Number One, Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja of the Leaf," made this a difficult task_. I wonder if this is how prison inmates feel._

"At least they're not tied up..." I whispered to myself. I wasn't typically one to talk to myself, as I had been surrounded by people for the most recent part of my life, but being alone in the dark does that to you. I had been lying down this whole time, and not once did the option of sitting up strike my mind. I planted my feet on the ground and used my remaining strength to sit myself up. It felt like all of my chakra had been drained out of me, even that of the Kyuubi's. _Kyuubi! I've never just 'talked' with him... maybe he'll know where I am!_

I shut my eyes tightly, summoned up the red chakra, and opened my eyes again. I was inside a sewer. I hadn't been through here too many times, so I slowly walked through, examining every doorway. I finally reached a long tunnel, and knew. Taking up a sprint, I found myself at the end of the tunnel, facing a large cage that held the Nine-Tails. Said Nine-Tails was growling threateningly at me, making his pure rage at being locked up known.

"Kyuubi? I... I need your help." I said, starting off slow. I wasn't sure what reaction I would get.

"Why should I help you, brat?" The fox sneered, showing off his long, sharp canines. I stepped closer to the cage, glancing behind me every once in a while. It was dim in here, but still brighter than the place I had been before.

"Because... I don't know what to do. Please." I pleaded, taking a seat in the murky water in front of the cage. To my surprise, Kyuubi didn't snap at me, he simply stared at me. I could feel the coolness of the water, but it didn't soak through my pants.

"You don't remember." He stated. His voice still held a hint of malice, but he probably couldn't shake that off. This was as nice as I was going to get him.

"No. I don't." I replied, tilting my head to get a good look at the face ten times bigger than my body. His muzzle twitched slightly.

"The Uchiha traded you for your escort, the other brat." He answered, narrowing his eyes. A sharp claw made a small indent in the metal bar closest to me.

"Sasuke?" I asked in surprise. Kyuubi shook his head. _What other Uchiha do I know?_

"Your boyfriend, brat." The fox said. Recognition flared inside of me. _Itachi? Itachi traded me for... Kenji. Yes. Why?_

"It was for the sake of the mission... all humans are so ignorant."

"Wait- what? I didn't say that out loud. Was that just a coincidence?" I asked stupidly, bringing a hand to my hair. I tried to untangle some of my knots, but I only ended up making them worse.

"It wasn't a coincidence, brat. I've been able to read your mind since I was sealed in you." Kyuubi snarled. I expected this however, as he had somehow always known when I needed help or when I needed chakra.

"Wow... wow. So where am I, Kyuubi?" I rubbed at my sore wrists. It was so much better being in here, with my hands and legs free.

"In a prison cell _below _the Village Hidden in the Darkness." Kyuubi replied, watching me with a frown. My wrists and ankles bore burn marks, due to the intensity of the chakra rope.

"The Village Hidden in the Darkness? What's that?" I asked. _So many questions, so little time._

"It's an underground village. They live in the darkness, if you couldn't catch that from the title. It's somewhere in Earth country. I visited it once, as a matter of fact. I was young then, however. Hundreds of years ago."

"Oh. Okay... How long have I been down here?" _I wonder how young he was. Maybe he was my age! I wonder if he was my size... or if he was always that enormous._

"I can read your mind, remember, brat. Don't say anything insulting, or this pleasant chat will be over," Kyuubi growled, "And no. I wasn't always this... size... You've been out for about three days, and slipping in and out of consciousness for one, which was yesterday. So all in all, you've been here for four days."

"Four days! No wonder I'm so hungry and thirsty... sorry, Kyuu..." I mumbled. My head began to throb in tune with my breathing.

"Kyuu? We're not friends, brat. Even if- You have to go now. Someone's coming." Kyuubi said, ears perked as he listened.

"O-okay, Kyuubi. I'll come back sometime, alright?" I managed to stutter out before I was pulled out of my subconscious. It was darker than before, and there was a slight... musk in the air. My pants were now thoroughly soaked. _I wonder how long I was with Kyuu... bi. Almost forgot there._

Heavy footsteps echoed in the darkness, and finally stopped in front of my cell. At least, it sounded like they did.

"Uzumaki Naruto, the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki." This comment sounded familiar, as did the voice.

"Who are you?" I shouted, staring intently in the direction the voice had come from. I could vaguely make out the outline of a long face and broad shoulders.

"That is none of your concern. If you want to get out of here alive, that is. Just cooperate nicely, and we won't hurt you too bad." Th

"Try your best! I won't give up!" I retorted. I was surprised at how steady and confident my voice sounded. The sound of a lock being opened, and seconds later footsteps had approached me.

"You stupid, stupid boy!" The voice yelled as they kicked my stomach. He kept kicking me, making me gasp in pain. It was over a couple minutes later. It felt like my insides had been vaporized to dust. He grabbed me by the ankles and held me upside down as I was led to another room. The blood was rushing to my head, and in a matter of seconds my head was pounding.

"_Bastard! _Let me go!" I screamed, kicking my legs as fervently as I could. My efforts were useless, however, as my ankles were tied up, and the motion only made me feel sicker. I stayed still, gasping for air exactly every 2 minutes. I didn't want to have to inhale the putrid smell that had filled my nostrils. It was rotten and sour. I was finally flipped right side up and tied to a chair. A loud clanking noise sounded from my left, and a bright flash of light appeared. My eyes stung slightly, as I hadn't been exposed to light for days. It was a small orb of white light, but it was of no use to me as it was so far away.

"Enjoy your visit here, child. I've left you a lantern so you can see _exactly _what goes on in the dark. I'll come back in a day or two, to check if you're still alive. You'll be lucky to die of starvation, even dehydration."

And he walked away. He hadn't locked me up anywhere, simply tied me to a chair. _I'm not scared of the dark. What a loser._

Silence. It was so quiet, that it felt like my mind was speaking to me in real life. Not just in my head. _Maybe I should go visit Kyuubi. He makes my stay here a little bit better._

A loud noise reached me through the darkness, jolting me from my thoughts. _What was that?_ Rocks shifting, that's what had caused the noise. _But why are the rocks shifting? Could it be that someone's here?_

I opened my mouth to shout, but my insides churned, almost warning me. _Guess that's not a good-_

A scream. It wasn't any scream, however. _What. Was. That. Some sort of animal? It definitely wasn't human..._

I could feel goose bumps slowly appearing over my skin. _So maybe the dark is kind of scary._

Another scream, but this time it was accompanied with the quick pitter-patter of feet. I could hear them- it- crawling everywhere. I just didn't know what _it _was. _Maybe I'm just getting paranoid. Anyone would get paranoid in the dark, right? I'm not going crazy. This is all just a dream._

I could tell myself it wasn't real numerous times, but it couldn't change the fact that I was scared. _I'm scared. I don't know what's in the dark! What if it's some kind of creature? Does it eat meat?_

I tried shutting my eyes, but they flew open when the pitter-patter sounded dangerously close. I stared at the white light. _Is that what he meant by, 'You'll be lucky to die of starvation, even dehydration?' And the light. He wanted me to see exactly what was out there._

A dark shadow loomed over the bright orb, clearly visible to me. It was tall, and its back was curved. A human physique, but somewhat lengthened. Longer arms, legs, torso. I gasped quietly, hoping it hadn't heard. What I had forgotten, though, was that the people of the Village Hidden in the Dark had honed their other senses. So why wouldn't this creature have? What exactly _had _happened down here? It growled predatorily as it slowly turned towards me. It almost happened in slow motion. One second it was standing in front of the light, and the other it was breathing on my neck. The foul smell of blood and decomposing flesh covered me like a blanket, but I kept as still as possible. I held my breath, tightened my muscles, and willed my heart to stop racing. It sniffed me, and I vaguely noticed a sticky, viscous liquid drop onto my shoulder and trail down my arm. My lungs throbbed for air, but I kept my breath sucked in, refusing to be the prey. Finally, I let out my breath. It didn't matter anyways. I was going to die, and there was nothing I could do about it because I was tied to a chair. The _thing _sniffed me one last time before letting out a loud, terrorizing squeal. Almost immediately, there were four more things examining me. One of them took my hands into their mouth. I felt a slimy tongue slip through my fingers and jagged teeth lightly scratch my skin.

"Please, stop!" I pleaded, trying to yank my hands away. The movement made the thing angry, and he sunk his teeth into my flesh. My eyelids shut, leaving me in the dark, with my scream reverberating through my ears.

"Naruto!" _Someone's yelling at me. They're yelling my name. Who are you? What do you want?_

"Naruto, _Naruto_!"

"Help me, please! I'm going to die!" I shouted, thrashing around in the... _I'm not in a chair. Where am I? Somewhere firm, but soft._

I opened my eyes slowly, and was met with darkness. Pitch black, like always.

"Sh, it's okay, Naruto. Everything's going to be alright." A voice whispered in my ear. I then realized someone was clutching me to their chest.

"What? _What? _Who are you?" I asked, pushing against their chest. Note: I now know it's a guy.

"Itachi, Naruto. It's Itachi." He said, disregarding my attempts to break free. The smell of sweat and grass filled my nose. It was comforting in a way.

"Itachi? Which Itachi?" I questioned. _I thought Itachi had left me here to die._

"The only Itachi you know, Naru. Unless you made a friend down here..." He trailed off, desperation creeping into his voice. My senses suddenly peaked.

"Where are those... those things? Where are they?" I screamed, tossing my head back as I tried to break free.

"Naruto, it was just a hallucination. They weren't real. Are you hurt anywhere?" Itachi murmured, pulling me closer. His breath tickled my neck, and I fought to restrain a chuckle. _I'm okay. It wasn't real._

"I think so... I'm feeling sort of dizzy."

"We're going now, alright? We're going back home." Itachi said, casually standing up. The motion made my head swim.

"I feel sick." I commented as he took me somewhere I couldn't see. His sharingan was obviously helping him make his way through the darkness.

"I know. But you're going to get better when you get some fresh air. There's a toxin in the air, that's what's making you feel sick."

We travelled in silence, with a couple questions regarding the mission from me. Something in my head nagged me to ask Itachi something. _But what?_

"Where are Sasuke and Sakura-chan?" I asked. My gaze was set on a bright pinpoint of light somewhere in front of us. _That isn't the question._

"They're with Kenji in his village." Itachi replied, trudging forward with ease.

"You know, I never found out where that was." I said, lazily letting my eyelids droop.

"And you won't find out." Itachi laughed bitterly.

"Itachi?" I began, finally remembering what I had been trying to say. "Did you mean it?"

Somehow, Itachi caught on fairly quickly.

"No, Naru. No, never. I'm sorry I had to say such hurtful things. It was for the sake of the mission. But I didn't stop thinking about you these past five days. I was always coming up with new plans and ideas to find you and rescue you. I'm sorry, Naruto." He mumbled. His pace slowed slightly.

"It's okay, Itachi. I forgive you. I'm glad Kenji's safe. I'm glad the bastard and Sakura-chan are safe. But most of all, I'm glad you came back." I said, nuzzling my face against his neck. _I missed you._

"I love you, Naruto." Itachi said, lowering his face to mine and giving me an Eskimo kiss.

"I love you too, Itachi." Somewhere in the darkness, was an animalistic scream.

-x-

As soon as my eyes made contact with the light, they watered profusely and stung painfully.

"Ow, ow! My eyes!" I screamed. Itachi wore a grimace as he held my hand in encouragement. Once the pain became tolerable, I took the time to look around. We had come out into a mildly lit forest. There were patches of dead grass randomly placed here and there. The trees were leafless, and the branches were cut into odd shapes. I probably would have been frightened had Itachi not been standing next to me.

I stood on my tippy-toes and playfully laid a kiss on Itachi's cheek. The moment was ruined, however, when a wave of harsh nausea came over me. Muttering a quick 'excuse me' I fled into the forest surrounding the hole we had come out of. Placing a hand on the tree trunk for support, I leaned over and let out all of the contents of my stomach onto a sturdy ant hill. _The ants are probably drowning in my vomit_.

I wiped my face with the back of my hand and in turn wiped my hand on the bottom of my shirt. The slightly acidic taste of puke still lingered in my mouth when I returned to Itachi.

"You drowned some poor forest creature in your vomit and enjoyed it, didn't you?" Itachi asked, draping an arm around my shoulders.

"What can I say? I take pride in what I do_._" I mused, leaning into the muscular body that was Itachi.

**-x-**

**I'm terribly sorry for not having updated any of my fanfics for a month. I went on a vacation and that messed up my update schedule, and then I was lazy, and then I didn't have any inspiration. Anyways, thank you so much for reviewing. You guys are all so great. Hope this wasn't too bad? I really just wanted to get the mission over with. It had a kind of... scary twist. Haha. Love – WTR.**


	11. The Cleansing

**Quick note: Sorry. I love you.**

**Dedicated to taking showers.**

"**It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake."**

**[Frederick Douglass]**

**-x-**

Itachi was checking over Naruto's wounds. He'd been doing it for the past five minutes, over, and over again. Sure, Naruto had been knocked out, deprived of food and water for 5 days, and had a frightening Genjutsu placed over him, but he really was fine. He obviously didn't understand the extent of Itachi's worry.

"Are you sure you're okay? Not feeling weak, dizzy?" The eldest Uchiha asked, brows furrowed in concern. Sasuke rolled his eyes at his older brother's antics. He was a tad bit paranoid when it came to the blonde idiot. Then again, he was paranoid when it came to Sasuke, too.

"If I _wasn't _okay I'd say so." Naruto spat. He couldn't say he was completely over Itachi's 'fake' betrayal. Sakura gave a low groan of desperation.

"It's obvious you're hurt, baka. You're limping." She said matter of factly. Naruto unleashed his worst glare on her. However, his sunny personality completely overrode the evil gesture and he ended up with a scrunched up, yet cheerful expression.

"Is that supposed to be a glare?" Sasuke asked in amusement. Naruto sighed.

"Naru, I really _am _sorry. Please, I wouldn't have done it had it not been for the mission." Itachi's voice held a tinge of guilt. The blonde simply kept on walking, ignoring the pain shooting up his ankle whenever he took a step. Finally, tired of seeing his boyfriend in obvious pain, Itachi scooped him into his arms.

"Itachi, put me down." Naruto muttered darkly. Itachi kept his face blank as he replied. "You'll thank me for this later. The nine tails may be healing you, but for the moment you're in pain." A spark of realization appeared in Naruto's wide blue eyes.

"What?" Itachi asked. The blonde shook his head slowly, before letting his eyes shut and seemingly falling asleep.

-x-

"Kyuubi!" Naruto screamed. His voice echoed throughout the long tunnel he was trudging through. He could hear a loud growl coming from the fox. As he entered the fox's domain, Naruto mustered up his best smile.

"Didya miss me?" He asked cheerily, running to the front of the cage.

"No." Kyuubi snarled. Naruto ignored his obvious displeasure, and sank into the murky water.

"You should have told me I was under a Genjutsu." Naruto stated. His hands shook as he lifted them up to the metal bars.

"Remember who did these?" Naruto began, staring blankly at the long scars on the backs of his hands. "It was the same person down there."

The nine tails growled softly in understanding.

"Yes. I know." He said. The blonde frowned. "I wonder what they want."

The nine tails shook in eerie laughter. "I thought that part was obvious."

"Hmph. You're a bastard." Naruto stuck his tongue out.

"Aren't we all?" Kyuubi mused.

-x-

Naruto traced his fingers over his leaf hitai-ate. The metal surface was smooth, but the engraving of the leaf symbol left a jagged groove. He moved onto the fabric, smiling as the worn out cloth scratched his fingertips.

"Naruto."

Naruto looked up, noticing his sensei standing before him. The grey haired nin's eyes were crinkled in annoyance, perhaps?

"Yes, sensei?" The blonde replied, warily keeping his head up so he could look Kakashi in the eye in respect.

"You can lie your head down. I know you're tired. Just listen to what I'm saying." Kakashi said. He sat down on the bench beside the boy, and laid his head on his folded arms, in a position similar to Naruto's. They sat in a comfortable silence, the crickets chirping and the gentle wind caressing their hair. It was rather late for the boy to be out and about. Itachi usually had Naruto in bed by 10, even going as far as to tuck him in and stay until he fell asleep. The eldest Uchiha did so much for the boy, and somehow Kakashi felt that Naruto was taking him for granted, despite not having any position in their relationship.

"So, where's Itachi then?" Kakashi asked, finally breaking the silence. Naruto's eyes widened briefly, but returned to normal after a few short seconds.

"Not sure." Naruto replied. His voice was muffled by the bulky fabric of his jumpsuit.

"And why is that? You usually know where he is." Kakashi commented. A voice in his head was weakly telling him to leave the two alone. That their relationship was perfectly fine and they didn't need someone to interfere.

"You can stop beating around the bush, sensei..." Naruto muttered.

"What's up with you two? Before you came in a package. Wherever you were, Itachi was. Wherever Itachi was, you were. I haven't seen you guys together in days." Kakashi said. He could feel the depression radiating off of the frail blonde.

"I don't know, sensei. Things have been... strange between us lately." Naruto's voice cracked at 'strange'. He knew something was wrong between him and Itachi. Ever since that escort mission, Itachi had been avoiding him, and Naruto had been doing the same. Almost like... they didn't love each other anymore. And this just thought, it broke Naruto's heart. His first romantic interest that had loved him back... was slowly drifting away. And Naruto couldn't do anything about it.

"Strange how?" Kakashi questioned, sitting up and resting his chin on his right hand.

"I don't know. We're avoiding each other." Naruto replied. His eyes were slowly drifting shut.

"Ah. Well, how about you plan something together? Then you can talk about what's going on." The grey haired man suggested. He was met with silence, as the usually energetic blonde had fallen asleep on him. Suddenly, an idea crawled its way into his mind. He bit his thumb, made a few hand signs, and slammed his hand against the floor with a quiet, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

A small pug boring a leaf hitai-ate appeared from a cloud of smoke.

"Pakkun, I need you to guard Naruto until I come back." Kakashi instructed. He pointed out the sleeping blonde to the pug.

"Meh..." Pakkun growled. Maybe the blonde loudmouth wouldn't be so bad when he was asleep. Kakashi took the growl as a sign of comprehension, and took off. He climbed a tree, and jumped on to the nearest roof, heading for the Hokage's office first. The Hokage greeted him warmly, and agreed to help Kakashi with his plan. Kakashi then began making his way to the Uchiha compound- rooftop style. It took exactly 7 minutes, and he slowed down when he came into the line of sight. Feigning wariness, he waved at one of the Uchiha guards and walked in the direction of Itachi's house. Most of the houses were the same size, but Uchiha Fugaku's house was one of the biggest, since he was the leader of the Konoha Military Police Force.

He gave a gentle knock on the door. Seconds later, the door was opened revealing a beautiful woman. She had long, brown hair that glistened in the light coming from inside. She was wearing a simple yellow dress with a dark long sleeved shirt inside. A dish cloth was in her hand.

"Good evening, Kakashi-san." She greeted politely, a small smile brightening her pretty features.

"Good evening, Mikoto-san. Is Itachi-kun around?" Kakashi asked. Mikoto nodded, and retreated inside with a soft, "Excuse me."

"Kakashi-san." Itachi said. He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms, clearly showing his displeasure at Kakashi's being there.

"Sorry for bothering you so late at night, Itachi. I just have a quick favour to ask of you." Kakashi said quickly. The Uchiha's intense gaze was beginning to get to him.

"Which consists of?" Itachi questioned, now standing upright.

"I need you to collect something for me at the Hokage's office."

Itachi nodded stiffly before asking for the specific details of the mission. Kakashi gave them and left after saying good bye to Mikoto. He slumped against a tree as he summoned Pakkun back to him.

-x-

Itachi narrowed his eyes slightly when he noticed a small figure on a bench. Taking a couple hesitant steps forward, his heart skipped a beat when he saw a mass of blonde hair. He sprinted to the blonde, and stood beside him, watching his breath come in short, quivering pants due to the coldness outside. Itachi felt red hot anger fill him. How could Naruto be so stupid? Sleeping outside, and at this hour? He was going to catch a cold! Stupid, stupid Kitsune. The favour Kakashi had asked of him lay forgotten in his mind as he took the blonde into his arms and tore through the streets of Konoha.

He could feel the blonde shaking in his arms, and this only made him quicken his pace. After reaching Naruto's apartment and managing to picklock the door, he set the blonde on the lone couch in his living room. He entered the kitchen, took a couple seconds to recompose himself, and set to making Naruto a steaming cup of tea.

-x-

Naruto felt cold. It felt like ice was running through his veins. He tried to open his eyelids, but he felt so tired. Somehow, he knew he felt like this whenever Itachi was away. The pain was less then, though. Almost like him and the Uchiha had gotten attached. Literally. Itachi's name burned his mouth. He vaguely noticed himself forming the words in his mouth. He was too disoriented to know if he actually spoke them aloud. Finally, he called on the Kyuubi's chakra. The intense power made him regain consciousness.

-x-

Itachi breathed a sigh of relief when the blonde woke up. He had been trying to wake Naruto for the past four minutes, and had recoiled when he felt the sudden burst of chakra through the blonde's body and the strangled calls of his name. He wondered why the blonde was dreaming about him. Surely, Itachi had dreams about the boy, but they weren't as innocent as Naruto's. He couldn't act on these dreams, however, until Naruto was of age.

"I-Itachi?" Naruto questioned through half-lidded eyes.

"I'm here, Naru. I'm right here. Now drink this." Itachi replied. He held the mug to the boy's lips, making sure the tea wasn't too hot. Naruto drank greedily, and smiled lightly when he noticed Itachi's arm around his waist.

"You're here, 'Tachi." He commented. Itachi drew the blonde closer. Any closer, and he would be in Itachi's lap. Naruto yelped when Itachi suddenly erupted.

"Naruto, you baka! You were freezing when I found you! How could you fall asleep outside? I'm sure even that Konohamoru brat following you around could tell it was too cold."

Naruto took the verbal beating silently, nodding when needed. After a couple minutes of venting, Itachi soothingly ran his hand through the blonde's hair.

"I'm sorry." They both muttered.

"I don't think you understand the full extent of my love for you." Itachi said. Naruto shook his head. "I perfectly understand. You simply haven't been showing it these past couple of days."

"I know. I've been extremely busy."

"You've never been this busy before."

"That was then, this is now."

"Are you... cheating on me?"

Itachi's muffled laughter broke through Naruto's aspect of the sombre conversation.

"How... could you... suggest... something so... preposterous?" Itachi wheezed in between sets of laughter. The blonde rolled his eyes.

"It's a typical line in romance movies." He explained, crossing his legs in a professional manner. Itachi only laughed harder.

"This... isn't a... romance... movie... though."

"It could be. There's definitely enough drama." Naruto muttered. He found himself eyeing the slight lift in Itachi's T-shirt, exposing a patch of pale skin. A pale hand quickly pulled the T-shirt down, limiting Naruto's view.

"Naruto..." Itachi warned. He knew the boy was beginning to go through puberty, and his hormones were raging, but Itachi had a strict line between what they could and could not do.

"Alright, alright. I know you want to, though."

"I do too." Itachi sighed heavily.

"You're such a-" Naruto's accusation was cut short when Itachi placed a kiss on his lips.

"I'd die before I cheated on you." He whispered, gently nudging his nose against Naruto's.

"Is... is that good? I don't want you to die. Seriously. I'd rather you cheated on me than died." Naruto frowned.

"You're such an idiot..."

-x-

Naruto leaped... flew... and landed on Sasuke.

"The hell, dobe?" Sasuke hissed from underneath the small blonde.

"Chuunin exams! Itachi told me about them!" Naruto shouted, bouncing excitedly.

"Get _off_! This isn't setting the best example for the academy students." Sasuke gestured at their position. A fierce blush tainted Naruto's cheeks as he helped Sasuke up.

"Sorry, teme. I'm just excited." Naruto apologized sheepishly. The duo slowly began making their way to the training field.

"What makes you think you have what it takes?" Sasuke asked, fingering his weapons pouch in anticipation. The blonde beside him sputtered before hissing, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

"How does being Uzumaki Naruto make you more capable of passing the Chuunin Exams?" Sasuke sighed. Sometimes the dobe was too stupid for his own good.

"How does it not?" Naruto retorted with a smug grin.

"Itachi taught you that one. He does that all the time!" Sasuke said in a monotone. The blonde chucked lightly before a serious expression came over his face.

"Itachi's been helping me train. I found out I have a wind affinity. So he's teaching me a couple wind Jutsus."

Sasuke found himself frowning lightly, despite his utmost resistance to the show of emotion. Itachi was training Naruto? But whenever Sasuke asked for help, Itachi gave the excuse of being too busy? Some brother he was...

"Sasuke? What's wrong?" Naruto asked. His eyebrows rose slightly. The rare displays of emotion from the Uchiha still caught him by surprise.

"Nothing, dobe. Mind your own business." Sasuke sneered.

"Sasuke, Sasuke. It _is _my business." Naruto shook his finger at the Uchiha. Sasuke shoved the finger away from his face and picked up his pace.

"Sasuke?" Naruto called. He watched as the pale boy sharply turned in the direction of his home. And Naruto was left clueless as to what he'd done to make someone upset with him.

-x-

The warm water splashed over his face, cleansing him of his worries, washing away unwanted thoughts. It felt like a big, cozy blanket of threaded reassurance, comfort, and support, was wrapped around him. That's what showers did to him. The lone place he could let his feelings pour out of him. In the Ninja world, you were taught to hide your emotions. To repress those wicked feelings. They would wear you down. They would kill you. In a shower, however, you can sob, you can laugh. You can act out your favourite scene of the _Titanic_.

"I love you. You carry the burden of my emotions." Naruto sobbed as he stroked the smooth, beige tile. He didn't understand why Sasuke was no longer talking to him. He had tried asking Itachi, but was reminded of the relationship the two had. They hadn't been very close since Itachi was caught between the safety of Konoha and his own clan. Thankfully Itachi had figured out a way to accommodate both. Naruto had yet to hear of the marvellous plan Itachi had come up with. Shaking the thoughts of the Uchiha brothers out of his head, he slowly began to rinse the soap away from his body. He vaguely noticed his head hurting from the harsh crying session he'd had. His eyes stung, and they were not from the soap. His heart ached. Sasuke had been his first bond, someone he could relate to. Naruto realized all of his relationships had been going haywire lately.

Maybe he just wasn't cut out for friends. Or boyfriends.

**-x-**

**My apologies for being a horrible author and not updating on schedule. These past two updates have taken **_**way**_** too long. They've also been pretty short. I'm sorry. Please forgive me! Anyways, thank you so much for reviewing and favouriting and alerting (?) I love you guys so much. We're almost at 50 reviews! I hope one day we get to 100. That would be the happiest day of my life.**

**I'm not sure if I've replied to your review or not. But either way, here we go!**

**Reviews:**

**.Insanity: Aww. Thank you so much. I don't really think I'm that good at describing situations I put my characters in, but thanks!**

**OhMyLawdy: Haha okay! The mission's over! But remember they can't really do anything until the next time skip. Poor little Naru's still too young! Thank you so much for reviewing! It made me laugh =]**

**Saya420: My dear, dear reviewer. I love you, yet again! Sweetest person ever. Sorry for not replying or updating for a while.**

**Akito10022: Yeah, I realized. But I thought if he was in a situation like that, he'd probably be freaking. Uh, that sounds super mean. That was all said good naturedly! Thank you for reviewing and telling me!**

**SteadyDecline: Haha, thank you! I'm glad it's not boring. I try to put some creativity into it. **

**Sousie: Thank you very much. Hahah. Glad to be back.**

**Sweetyamiyugigirl: I hope so too! Poor little thing. Thanks for reviewing!**

**BlackButterfly00: Thank you for getting me off of my lazy butt and making me write. I'm glad you like it!**

**I love you all!**


	12. The Birthday

**Sorry for the wait, readers. Please enjoy! Happy Birthday tomorrow, Naruto! You're so loved, blondie. Keep being who you are.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! If I did, Naru would be naked all the time. No pants for you either, Itachi!**

**Haven't done that in a while. **

**-x-**

"**The old believe everything; the middle-aged suspect everything; the young know everything."**

**[Oscar Wilde]**

**-x-**

The trees were undergoing a chemical change. They were now littered with bright yellows, reds, and oranges. This was also called autumn. Uchiha Itachi sat on his front porch, a thoughtful expression on his face. A gentle breeze blew through his hair. A loud sigh escaped his lips.

"What can I do?" He asked out loud. His fingers lightly tapped the floor underneath him. A group of Uchiha toddlers ran past him, shrieking loudly as they played a game of tag. The sight made him remember his first date with Naruto. They had played childish games for the first half. He knew the young blonde liked those types of games, and suddenly, an idea sprang to action.

-x-

Sakura could barely believe her ears when Itachi Uchiha invited her to a party. Sure, it was the blonde's 13th birthday party, but a party is a party. She was also instructed to tell every one of the rookie 9's of the party. She gave herself a moment to act like a complete girl. _Who should I ask first? _Almost immediately, an image of her ex-best friend popped into her head. Underneath all of that rivalry, Sakura missed Ino. She had made Sakura who she was today. With a frown on her face, Sakura made her way to the Yamanaka's flower shop. She was sure Ino would have let everyone know about the party before the sun set. After all, Ino had always been better than her. When she saw Ino through the glass, Sakura put on a small smile.

"Ohayo, Ino-pig." She said softly. The blonde looked up from a vase of daisies she had been organizing. Confusion became apparent on her face.

"Ohayo, billboard brow." Ino replied. "Why are you here?" She rested her chin on her hands.

"I, uh, came here to... uh..." Sakura tried to stall, but Ino had known her for a long time and knew exactly what she was doing.

"Not buy flowers, obviously. Spit it out." Ino rolled her eyes, but a grin brightened her face.

"It's Naruto's birthday on Saturday... and Itachi's planning a party for him." She began. Her face began to heat up. The blonde pursed her lips in thought, supposedly checking her inner calendar.

"And the rookie's are all invited." Ino concluded, leaning forward on her elbows.

"Y-yep." Sakura managed to nod.

"Alright. I'll let everyone know. I'm sure Hinata'll be glad to come." Ino raised her hand to her mouth before bursting into soft laughter.

"I knew it! I knew she liked Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, stepping forward. Ino shook her head.

"But Naruto's gay." She said dryly. Sakura's eyes widened.

"How did you know?"

"Who doesn't know _other_ than Hinata?" Ino asked. She rounded the glass counter she had been standing behind and stood in front of Sakura.

"Listen, Ino. She can't know. It could completely take away the little backbone she has now. It would ruin her!" The pink-haired genin let her eyes fall on the wooden paneling of the floor.

"I know." Ino said. "Sakura, my eyes are up here."

Sakura raised her brows at the statement, but brought her gaze up anyways. "Ino... I miss... being your best friend. I'm not sure when I realized it, but I really do."

Ino remained silent, staring blankly at the pinkette.

"Oh, oh. I don't mean to force it onto, um, you, Ino. Just... uh, forget it. I have to go." Sakura said quickly, turned away, and ran out of the store.

-x-

Naruto gave a low groan in response to Itachi's persistence. Iruka had given him two textbooks to briefly scan over the long weekend. Naruto, being _Naruto_, had done his share of complaining. However, Iruka insisted he stay indoors on his birthday in order to prevent trouble. Naruto had stuck his tongue out at his favourite teacher before heading home. Only two hours after dinner on Thursday night and Itachi was pushing him to read over the textbooks. So here they were. Naruto had also begged Itachi to bring along Sasuke for the torture session.

"What does 'denizen' mean?" Naruto asked, looking pointedly at Sasuke, but receiving the same answer from both of the Uchiha brothers.

"An inhabitant."

The blonde sighed inwardly. The rivalry between the two was getting annoying.

"Quit it." Naruto hissed. He turned back to look at the page, and missed the curious look the two sent him.

"Mmm... so where were we? Denizen... ah, yes. Got it. Hm... miniscule... tolerance..." Sasuke leaned back on his outstretched hands. Glaring at his brother from the corner of his eye, Sasuke was surprised when he found his brother chuckling.

"I see you've developed a hate for me." Itachi commented lightly.

"I don't necessarily hate you..." Sasuke said guiltily. The honesty in his brother's eyes made him want to burst into tears. The blonde pretended to have trouble pronouncing a word as he listened in on the brother's conversation. Itachi, however, knew better and ordered him to keep reading.

"Of course you do." The eldest shifted his body so he was facing Sasuke.

"How is it that you read me so easily?" Sasuke cried out. He felt like an absolute child in Itachi's presence.

"How is it that you believe you're so hard to read?" Itachi retorted. He could see the frustration in his brother's dark eyes.

"Why are you spending so much time with Naruto?" Sasuke finally asked. Immediately after the question left his mouth he turned away in shame.

"_Sasuke._ I'm over here." Itachi lifted a hand to his brother's coal black hair. "Have I not spent all of my life with you, Otouto?"

"You're forgetting about me." Sasuke had to pause so he could wince at the tight knot in his throat.

"I'll never forget you, Sasuke. You'll always be my little brother. You know that."

"I don't. It's just... It's hard to adjust! I've always had you with me, and out of the blue, you're my best friend's boy friend, and I have absolutely no place in your relationship. Two of the most important people in my life have been taken away."

Itachi couldn't help but frown at the fragility of his brother's expression. Sasuke had never felt forgotten. And here he was, being 'forgotten' by his brother and his best friend.

"We're here now, aren't we? Sasuke, you _are _my little brother. You _are _Naruto's best friend. And nothing can change that." Itachi was pleased at the reaction he got. An armful of young Uchiha, and a squeal of protest from the on looking blonde.

"Hey? You don't forget Uzumaki Naruto. Ever." Naruto yelled. Sasuke showed off one of his rare grins, and pulled the blonde beside him.

"You forget him when he doesn't do what Iruka-sensei has told him." Itachi teased as he set the two pre-teens on the floor.

"You forget Itachi Uchiha when he's the biggest bastard known to man." Naruto spat back.

"You're forgetting me again." Sasuke whispered with a crest-fallen face. The couple was too busy tossing insults back and forth to notice.

-x-

The day of Uzumaki Naruto's birth had arrived. Konoha's streets were filled with red and orange lanterns. Streamers were strung between stores. The villagers mourned the first half of the day and celebrated the second. Itachi had decided to host the blonde's birthday party in the first half, where most villagers were indoors. Incredibly, Iruka, Kakashi-sensei, the Uchiha family, including Fugaku and Mikoto, and the rest of the rookies arrived at the right time, if not early. The group of so-called 'friends' were crowded in a training field, which Itachi had been kind enough to reserve for the morning. Some wore expressions of excitement, others wore soft frowns.

"Hinata-chan, over here!" Naruto yelled. The red-faced girl stumbled slightly before tossing a kunai at the boy. To everybody's surprise, the blonde caught it with one hand... without hurting himself, or anyone around him, for that matter. It was painfully obvious Naruto's reflexes and speed had increased greatly in the long period of time they had spent apart.

"Okay. So how come you guys are all crowded here? You couldn't all have come to train, right?" Naruto called, raising his brows at the assembly of friends. Unfortunately, his mind was still that of a 7 year old. Even Itachi face-palmed at the oblivious statement.

"What day is it today, Naruto?" Iruka said in a mildly irritated tone. He took a step towards the blonde, staring pointedly at the mop of gold hair.

"Uh... October 10?" Naruto replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. The brunette sighed loudly.

Iruka shook his head in mock disappointment, but his eyes betrayed his outward appearance. They were glistening with... tears? Iruka-sensei was crying?

"Sensei, please don't cry... I'm not... I didn't... your parents..." Naruto tried and tried again to comfort his teacher, but the brunette remained silent, his head hung, his shoulders shaking. Suddenly, Naruto's mind was assaulted by an image of the Fourth Hokage he just couldn't shake.

"I'm not upset, Naruto." Iruka finally said in a shaky voice. He lifted his head, but this time his face was harbouring a timid smile.

"You're 13 now. You're growing up so fast, right before my eyes!" Iruka chuckled weakly as he lifted a hand to wipe away his tears. The blonde stared in shock, kunai falling to the floor as his hands went limp.

"_This. _This is for my b-birthday?" Naruto gestured at the smiling crowd of people standing a couple steps behind his first bond. The group nodded in silent agreement.

"Ah..." Naruto could feel a tight knot forming in his throat. He took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself down before letting out a sigh.

"Happy Birthday, Kitsune." A voice whispered in his ear. Naruto smiled as he felt familiar arms wrap around his shoulders.

"Itachi." Naruto greeted. He tilted his head back so he could place a kiss on the Uchiha's chin.

"How do you feel?" Itachi asked. A hint of worry could be heard in his voice.

"Hm... so-so." Naruto replied. He shook himself out of Itachi's arms and stepped towards Iruka.

"Sensei? Did you go visit your parents?" Naruto turned towards Kakashi, "And sensei number two, did you visit the Hokage?" The grey haired ninja nodded briefly before immersing himself in his pornography. Iruka, however, stomped over and snatched the book out of his hands, ranting on about how 'It was Naruto's birthday, and reading such explicit literature was insulting the whole purpose of the gathering.'

Kakashi only grinned knowingly as he easily stole the book back and continued to read. The brunette cursed inwardly as a blush darkened his olive skin. The surrounding people couldn't help but speculate the reason for Iruka's blush.

"So," Naruto breathed after a minute of shocked silence. The others slowly began to snap out of their thoughts.

"What first?" He asked, glancing quickly at his boyfriend. The Uchiha remained stoic, but inside he was bursting with joy. Naruto hadn't completely rejected the party!

"First and last is a scavenger hunt." Itachi said. He raised his voice slightly so Kiba, who was arguing with Shikamaru in a far corner of the training field, would hear.

"A scavenger hunt?" Sakura repeated.

"Yes. You have been put into groups of 7. Your task is to collect the items specified and reach the end point before the other team does. Team A is Sasuke, mother, Naru, Ino, Sakura, Shikamaru, and Kakashi-san. Team B will be myself, Hinata, Shino, Chouji, Kiba, Iruka-san, and father."

"What about our list of items?" Shikamaru asked.

"Come to me." Itachi said. His tone clearly seized any more questions. The teams quickly gathered themselves, discussing strategy as their selected person left to collect lists and further instructions. They were each handed a bag to carry their objects, money, two plastic containers, and a key.

"Ready? Set? Go!"

-x-

**Team A: Feather**

"Alright, alright. Where can we find a feather?" The birthday boy asked. He glanced at the sky for any sign of a bird, but the sky was a beautiful cloudless blue.

"A bird." Ino suggested helpfully.

"What a great suggestion, Ino." Naruto sent her a glare, which she retaliated with a glare of her own.

"Stop it, you two. Anybody else?" Mikoto reprimanded.

"Well, costumes generally have feathers for decoration." Shikamaru muttered. Sasuke turned to face him, a scowl on his face.

"That wouldn't count." He snarled.

"Itachi-san didn't specify what type of feather he wanted." Shikamaru replied. His voice was as monotonous as ever.

"Hn."

"How about a feather boa?" Sakura asked softly. She could feel Ino's eyes on her. Shame crashed over her like a wave. She would have been swept away had it not been for Naruto's hand on her shoulder.

"Woah there. You okay? Anyways, that's a good idea. Maybe we can head into town for one?" The blonde raised his brows in concern. He always cared for everyone around him.

"I'm okay. Sure. Let's do it." She followed the bright mop of yellow hair in front of her.

"Sensei, you coming... you pervert!"

**Team B: Worm**

"Worm." Kiba read out. Hinata nodded over his shoulder, blushing darkly when the brunette turned to face her and they almost locked lips.

"Uh..." She stuttered, taking a full step back from the gang of males staring awkwardly at her. Abruptly, Shino got onto his knees. One of his bugs crawled into the earth and to their surprise, a worm poked out of the moist earth.

"Worm. Check." Fugaku said dryly.

**Team A: Instant Ramen**

"I'm pretty sure Itachi put this one in for the dobe." Sasuke commented. Mikoto couldn't help but smile as Naruto was back with a cup of instant ramen in barely four minutes.

"He gave us a slight advantage." Ino agreed.

**Team B: Name of a Konoha dentist**

"Where the hell do we find a dentist?" Kiba growled, looking at Itachi for some sort of guidance. The Uchiha raised his brows before replying, "You don't visit the dentist often?"

"Nah, Hana does all of that for me." Kiba answered. Fugaku sighed softy as he led the group in the direction of the Uchiha clan's dentist.

"She's a veterinarian." Iruka stated.

"Your point?"

**Team A: Ant**

"What's with all of the insects?" Naruto asked, frowning slightly. Sakura shook her head.

"I'm wishing we had Shino on our team." She muttered.

"Now, now. Don't get discouraged, kids. I'm sure we can find an ant hill somewhere in the forest." Mikoto gave each genin a supportive smile, disregarding her own uncertainty.

"I know where there's an ant hill." Kakashi made his first comment of the hour, much to everyone's surprise.

"Really, sensei?" Ino asked excitedly. The grey haired ninja nodded gravely, heading in the direction of the cemetery.

"We're heading towards the cemetery." Shikamaru turned to look up at the man. His eyes were glassy, shining from the rays of the inferno in the sky.

"Yeah."

**Team B: Tears**

"W-what? What is this?" Iruka asked in disbelief.

"Tears, sensei." Chouji answered matter-of-factly. Iruka rolled his eyes. "Yes, Chouji. But tears? Really?"

"I-I can do this o-one." Hinata whispered. Chouji turned to look at her, frowning at the determined look on her face. Hinata was determined to cry for her team.

"You're going to cry?" Iruka questioned.

"Hai." Hinata said with a nod of confirmation.

"How are you going to do that?" Itachi asked.

"Uh, I w-was wondering i-if one o-of you c-could c-c-cut me or s-something." Hinata replied nervously. Four widening of eyes gave her her answer.

"O-okay, h-how about..." Hinata began, but was cut off by an outraged Kiba.

"I'll take one for the team. Hit me."

"Gladly." Itachi muttered. In an quick show of speed, the Uchiha had managed to kick Kiba in the face in a matter of seconds.

"Ow!" Kiba cried, raised a hand to the rapidly forming bruise over his cheek bone. His eyes began to water, and he squeezed his eyes shut so his tears would fall into the jar held below him.

-x-

The teams reached the end point at the same time. Literally. Naruto and Kiba crashed into each other in their mad dashes, resulting in a cussing war. As the boys entertained each other through insults, the remaining members of the teams took the time to examine the end point. A large, abandoned warehouse in the middle of the forest.

"Will you two quit it? You're so immature." Ino pointed out. The brunette and the blonde turned to face each other before bursting into laughter. Later, Naruto and Itachi were given the opportunity to open the doors of the warehouse with the keys each team had been given. The inside was just as old, rusty, and sooty as the outside, but a strange feeling of comfort could be felt in the atmosphere. As they walked towards the main room, they noticed orange balloons, orange streamers, and orange paint splattered over the rotting wood.

"I'm proud of your decorating, Itachi." Mikoto whispered into the dimly lit hallway. The broken windows let the sun stream into the warehouse. You could see the dust particles floating gently in the air. In the main room was a large table, covered with presents. When almost everybody in the room gave relieved sighs at the sight, Naruto demanded an explanation. No one was brave enough to inform him, so Itachi stepped up to the plate.

"Every person in this room bought you a gift. However, I took it upon me to steal the gifts from them, and place them in this room. I thought it would add to the sense of surprise."

Naruto pushed the Uchiha into an empty box filled with paper as he went to open presents.

-x-

Finally, Itachi and Naruto were back in the blonde's apartment at the end of the day. After opening presents, Chouji had presented a cake his mother had made for the occasion. Well, not exactly for the occasion. She'd made it on Chouji's request for a _friend's _birthday. Not specifically Naruto. After cake Naruto had taken the time to thank everyone personally, even going as far as to give Hinata a kiss on the cheek for her efforts. Kiba and Shino had to carry her home.

"Itachi." Naruto called from his balcony. The Uchiha wrapped his arms around the blonde. "Hm?" He mumbled as he nuzzled Naruto's hair.

"Thank-you... really. It's the first time someone has ever celebrated my birthday." Naruto whispered. Itachi could feel the blonde quivering in his arms.

"You deserve it and so much more." Itachi replied. Naruto sighed, crawling out of Itachi's arms.

"Watch the stars with me?" He asked. Itachi nodded in response and lay beside the blonde. Somehow, their fingers intertwined without either of them noticing. They were so used to the simple gesture.

"When I look at the stars, I'm reminded that another day has passed." Naruto said. The darkness was almost overwhelming. The only pinpoints of light were the stars, and even then he could still make out Itachi's face.

"And at the end of the day, I'm reminded that Kami has spared my life again." The Uchiha tightened his grip, beginning to realize where their conversation was heading.

"Naruto..." He began, but the blonde's voice overpowered his own.

"Because on this day, 13 years ago, Iruka's parents, the Fourth Hokage, and so many other shinobi died for the leaf village. No, I killed them."

**-x-**

**Ah, yes, readers. I am not dead. And I'm terribly sorry for the wait. I was waiting for the 50****th**** review, Naruto's birthday, and I just wasn't inspired. Anyways, thank you so much. 50 reviews. Well, 49, but I'm just missing one review. I love you guys. Seriously! You keep me going! Hope you liked it. Also, what do you guys think? Should Sakura and Ino be friends? And should there be any side pairings? Yaoi or not, doesn't matter. I based the scavenger hunt on an actual scavenger hunt I went on. Tears was actually on the list. We cheated and put a couple drops of water in the jar. -WTR**


	13. The Retrieval

**Yes, I'm back. I am so terribly sorry it took me forever to update. I had some problems I had to deal with before I could deal with this! Anyways, I'm so thankful for the reviews. You guys are amazing, you have no idea how happy you make me feel when you tell me you like what I've written. So... this story is coming to an end... just a couple more chapters. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**-x-**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the knucklehead, the two emos, or the two annoying ham and cheese girls. I also don't own the anime. It's the sad truth.**

**-x-**

**"Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends."**

**[Richard Bach]**

**-x-**

The blonde was headed towards the Hyuuga compound. Yes, this was a rare occurrence. He'd decided to inform Hinata of his relationship status. To be frank, Naruto really couldn't tell whether the girl had figured out his preference yet. She was always hanging in the background, invisible, but he knew she was there. Sakura had told him that Hinata liked him only an hour ago. So Naruto had made it his job to make Hinata's rejection as painless as possible. He knew rejection; he'd been rejected several times by Sakura.

"Hinata-chan? You there?" Naruto shouted at the locked door. His hands fisted in his pockets when a cold swipe of wind brushed past him.

"N-Na-aruto-kun? W-what are y-you d-doing here?" Hinata stuttered from behind him. Her voice was soft and innocent. Naruto winced at the thought of having to hurt her.

"Yep. It's me. Uh, listen. I had to... talk to you about something." Naruto frowned. Hinata raised her thin brows, but led the way towards a secluded place anyways. She stopped underneath the shade of a tall oak tree.

"P-please go o-on." Hinata muttered. She wrung her hands in an act of nervousness.

"Do... do you like me, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked. Her milky eyes widened in shock.

"W-what? E-excuse m-me?" Hinata choked. She took a full step backwards, catching her breath when her back touched the rough bark of the tree.

"You heard me." Naruto said gravely. His normally sun kissed skin was pale to the point where it resembled a blank sheet of paper.

"... Mmm. N-Naruto-kun, I-I... Yes. Y-yes. I-I l-love y-you," Hinata whispered. Naruto opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the young girl. "B-but I've realized y-your p-preferences. I-I'm so h-happy I-Itachi-san can m-make y-you smile s-so b-brightly."

Now it was Naruto's turn to stare in shock.

"You have? What?" Naruto asked dumbly. Hinata shook in weak laughter.

"Oh, Naruto-kun. Y-you've always b-been s-so n-naïve." Hinata glanced back at the Hyuuga compound.

"Uhm..." Naruto mumbled.

"I-I have to g-go, Naruto-kun. I-I'll s-see you sometime l-later." And with that, Hinata, the shy girl who hovered in the background, confessed her love and ran away.

-x-

"What's up with her? I don't understand girls." Naruto huffed. He crossed his arms in the childish manner he used so frequently.

"What's wrong with them? Always so deceiving. Sneaky." Naruto muttered under his breath. He was so busy glaring at the rocky surface of the ground that he didn't notice the person walking in front of him.

"Oof! S-sorry." Naruto stuttered. He waved his arms to regain his balance. _Oh, great. Another girl. And a girl I know, at that._

"Oh! Hey, Naruto." Ino flashed him a grin. Naruto wasn't sure where this newly improved, 'kind' Ino was coming from.

"Hello, Ino-chan." Naruto nodded politely, eyeing the broken shards of glass on the floor. "Careful." He added as a precaution.

"Yeah... that's a $50 glass vase you broke there." Ino commented, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry. I can pay-"

"Relax, Naru. It wasn't very important anyways." Ino smiled again, but it didn't look as real this time. It looked strained.

"Hey, Ino-chan, you feeling okay?" Naruto asked. His voice was laced with genuine concern. Ino had never been particularly nice to him, but a friend was a friend.

"I-I'm fine." Ino replied. A bit too quickly to be a real answer.

"No you're not." Naruto furrowed his brows, looking the platinum blonde up and down.

"What makes you say that?" Ino puckered her lips in a show of aggression.

"Your smiles aren't real." Naruto answered. Why does everyone have problems?

"Pfft. That's stupid." Ino scoffed. She went inside her family's flower shop and returned with a broom and dustpan.

"You sweep. I'll collect." Ino instructed. Naruto took the familiar object into his hands. He almost felt ashamed. Any other boy his age shouldn't know how to hold and use a broom. However, he'd been cleaning his apartment for as long as he could remember. He started with a slow sweeping motion, but Ino yelled for him to go faster.

"Sorry again, Ino-chan." Naruto apologized. His eyes narrowed when Ino turned in the doorway.

"Not a problem." Ino replied. Her tone was almost icy.

"Will you ever tell me what's wrong?" Naruto asked. The tall blonde didn't move.

"There's nothing wrong." Ino denied. Naruto decided to head home for a nap. It was too early in the morning to be walking around the village with nothing important to do. Sure, he had to go buy some groceries, but maybe he'd ask Itachi to come with him sometime in the afternoon.

x-

Sleep still had him in her arms when Uchiha Itachi sank onto his bed. Naruto let out a slow sigh, the tips of his hair moving back and forth in the wisp of air. Itachi tapped nervously on Naruto's leg.

"Itachi? You feeling okay? My leg hasn't done anything to you." Naruto raised a blonde brow as he brought himself up to a sitting position. Itachi frowned. He opened his mouth to speak, but casually brushed it off as a yawn.

"Eh? Speak up, 'Tachi." He said. Uchiha Itachi didn't hesitate. Naruto couldn't shake off the feeling of dread filling his empty stomach.

"Sasuke..." Itachi whispered, glaring at the blank wall in front of him. The blonde's heart skipped a beat. Sasuke? What was wrong with Sasuke?

"What? What happened?" Naruto asked. His blue eyes scanned the raven's face, for a clue, for anything.

"Sasuke. He's gone." Itachi said dryly. Naruto could feel a harsh knot in his throat. His smile faded slowly from his face as the information was processed. _Gone?_

"G-gone? What... what do you mean, gone?" Naruto breathed. _Please, please, no. No, Sasuke._

"He... he ran away." Itachi muttered. It hurt that his brother had resorted to something so desperate. How could he not have known his brother was in so much emotional pain?

"Oh, Kami. Oh, Kami, no. Please. Where did he go? Where is he?" The blonde held Itachi's wrist with an iron grip.

"I've gotten word from my an- hm... from a retrieval group that he may have fled to Orochimaru." Itachi replied, albeit dreadfully.

"Who's Orochimaru? What is he doing with Sasuke?" Naruto asked desperately. His mind was jumbled to the point where he could not fully comprehend the information being given.

"I want you to relax, Naru... please. Relax." Itachi soothed, wincing slightly when Naruto's grip tightened further. "Let go of my wrist, Naru. You're cutting off my blood circulation." Itachi added. Naruto complied, making sure to quickly scan the Uchiha's arm for bruises... nothing but the dark outline of a handprint.

"Okay, okay. Relaxed... wait. Why are you here and not out there, looking for him?" Naruto asked.

"I wanted to be the one to tell you and keep you from- Naruto!" Itachi sighed deeply as the visibility in the room dropped to zero. The smoke bomb Naruto had dropped, however, was one of the blonde's own creations. It took Itachi an extra two minutes, 14 seconds than usual to figure out the dynamics of Naruto's escape plan. Smoke bomb. Window. Shut window. Roof tops. Gates. Ambush guards. Trees. Shadow clones. Find Sasuke. Bring Sasuke home. Suffer Itachi's wrath. Itachi Uchiha, however, was always one step ahead of the blonde, and before Naruto could reach the gates, Itachi had tackled him from behind, being careful to not hurt him.

"I'm not a girl, Uchiha. I can take a scratch. Now let me go! You can't stop me from saving my best friend!" Naruto kicked frantically in an effort to escape. Unfortunately, Itachi's body mass was almost double the size of his.

"I know, I know. I'm just asking for two minutes. Just two minutes of your time." Itachi soothed. The Uchiha couldn't deny, however, that he didn't want to have to waste these two minutes of precious time. He wanted to find Sasuke, bring him home, strap him in bed, and the next morning beat some sense into him. Such a feat was impossible when you had to take care of an explosive blonde.

"No! Let go!" Naruto thrashed again, making it just that much more difficult for the patient raven.

"Stay still, Naruto. I want to explain a few details first." Itachi found his voice rising in volume for every second the blonde fought.

"You let go right now! I have to go save him!" Naruto cried. Tears that had pooled at the corners of his eyes flowed in steady streams down his flushed cheeks.

"You're not the only one who wants to save him! He's my younger brother, Naruto. I've lost him, and I have to find him. He's no one's responsibility but my own. I neglected to acknowledge his feelings, and you have absolutely no idea how _worthless _I feel, Naruto. My Otouto hates me now." Itachi's voice reached a critical point. It fell into a hopeless hushed whisper. Almost immediately, Naruto stopped moving. He froze on the spot.

"I'm listening." Naruto whispered. He couldn't help but to wince when a drop trailed down his neck. _It's not raining. It's Itachi. My sweet Itachi is crying._

"Sorry," Itachi breathed, "Now listen. You are to stay with me at all times, in my sight. Don't jump into a fight unless necessary. And most importantly, if you see Sasuke... don't rush him."

-x-

Itachi had only just knocked out the two guards at the gate before two young genin came running at him.

"Itachi-san, Itachi-san. Is it true? Is Sasuke-kun really gone?" Ino and Sakura chorused. The two were so rattled by the news that they didn't realize they were actually speaking to each other.

"Ino-chan, Sakura-chan... I really have to get going. Naruto and I will explain it all later."

"You're going to bring Sasuke-kun back, aren't you? Please, let us come with you." Ino whispered. Her long bangs were tucked neatly behind her ear, but her face showed her sick worry. Soft blue eyes weren't sure of what emotion to show. Sakura looked almost as bad as Ino did.

"Girls," Itachi began, but was cut off by his blonde boyfriend.

"Yes. Yes, come. The more the merrier, right?" Naruto's voice pitched at the end, expressing his desperation.

"Please, Itachi-san. Please... I... I couldn't... if he... Sasuke-kun!" Sakura burst into tears, carelessly falling to her knees in an act of vulnerability. Ino, however, stayed strong. She defied the stereotype she had been given. "Drama Queen."

"He doesn't realize how much he's impacted me." Ino whispered. Her voice was rough and shaky.

Itachi had to admit he was touched by these words, and quickly ushered the girls ahead of him. He decided to explain the exact details of the retrieval on the way. He'd already wasted too much time. Naruto's fingers brushed his own, and an unvoiced message passed between them. _You're not alone._

"Let's move!"

-x-

The group of four kept a steady pace, making sure to hide their chakra signatures. Trees flew past them, blurring into beautiful greens. Ino kept her gaze in front of her, ignoring the presence of her companions. She took in the rays of sunlight filtering through the leafy canopies of the trees. A blurb of shadow here, a light patch there. Sasuke always liked those. Why did you leave?

"Do you remember how Sasuke would always get this look on his face when he was angry? Almost like he was sucking on a lemon. I used to make fun of him for it." Ino said. It was painfully obvious she was speaking to herself, but another three sets of ears tuned in. The blonde began to hum a song, blinking far too many times than necessary.

"Ino-chan?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, Naruto-kun?" Ino replied after a minute of silence.

"We're okay." Naruto's voice echoed through the emptiness of the forest.

"Yeah. We're okay." Ino agreed. She really didn't know what to make of their situation. Just an hour ago, Sasuke had visited her house, insisting on giving her something. She didn't get anything. Just a hug. Just a simple, meaningless hug. Or so she had thought. It had been a good-bye in his eyes. Not even Naruto had mentioned receiving a good-bye from Sasuke. Maybe Ino was special.

"When we find him, I'm going to beat him so hard he'll never walk again." Naruto growled. He heard Sakura whimper at the mere thought. Naruto sure knew how to create visuals.

"I-Itachi-san? Do you have any idea where he could be?" Sakura asked. She seemed like a defenceless wreck. If they got ambushed, she would probably fall to her knees in tears, begging for mercy.

"He's with Orochimaru, I assume, so he would be at one of his hide outs. The closest one would be in Sound. Sasuke has to make it to Sound in exactly 7 days, as he is Orochimaru's next vessel."

"Vessel?" Naruto asked. Itachi watched the limp blonde curls at the back of his neck bounce in stride with his leaps.

"Orochimaru uses a forbidden technique that enables him to transfer into another body. After his current body gets too old, of course." Itachi answered.

"How can you say that so easily? That's sick!" Sakura's mouth hung open in silent disgust.

"I've dealt with worse. And mouth..." Itachi started, and his sentence was finished by the blonde.

"Closed. You'll swallow a fly." Naruto turned his head so he could send Itachi a teasing glance.

"Hn."

"O-oh. Sorry." Sakura's cheeks flushed in embarrassment, To Itachi, it was almost amusing that whenever Sakura blushed, the pink wasn't nearly as bright as her hair.

"Itachi-san? What's this Orochimaru guy's background?" Ino asked. It seemed she had returned to her normal self.

"Well, for starters, he abandoned Konoha." He let the information sink into the genin's brains. It was Naruto who reacted first.

"A Konoha ninja? No... What? Why?" Naruto gasped. Itachi couldn't hide the smirk on his face. Naruto could always be counted on to be a source of entertainment, even in the worst of situations.

"Yes. He's one of the legendary three Sannin." Itachi waited again for his ever curious blonde to ask who the Sannin were.

"Who are they?" Naruto asked.

"Well, they reign from Konoha as well. Their names are Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. They all possess excellent ninja skills. Tsunade is known as the world's greatest medical ninja and is the granddaughter of the first Hokage. Jiraiya is a well known sage, as well as a writer of... uh... novels. Orochimaru has committed several crimes against Konoha and other villages. He conducts experiments on human beings, and uses forbidden Jutsu. He wants to gain immortality. The three were named Konoha's "Legendary Three Sannin" in the Second Great Shinobi War, by Hanzo, the former leader of Amegakure."

"You sure seem to know a lot about them." Ino muttered. Her brows were furrowed in a state of intense concentration. Had it not been for Naruto, who had been beside her, and his quick reflexes, Ino would have slammed head first into a tree. After a series of embarrassed apologies, the duo continued on their way. Itachi couldn't deny the fact that he'd chuckled softly. Yes, it wasn't a time to be cracking jokes and laughing... but what else could he do? Itachi was in such distress, that he didn't know what to do with himself. He also wanted to avoid worrying the genin further, Naruto especially.

"How long will it take to get to Sound?" Sakura asked.

"5 and a half days, if we hurry and take short breaks." Itachi replied. He wouldn't mention that his Anbu team and himself had made it to Sound in an easy three days.

"You know everything, don't you, 'Tachi?" Naruto said in awe. Itachi glared at him.

"That's a dangerous statement to make, and I've told you that several times before." Itachi reprimanded. A hurt look passed over Naruto's face before he answered in as much cheeriness as he could summon, "Then stop being so smart!"

Itachi shook his head in disappointment. Sometimes the blonde could be such an idiot.

"Hey, Itachi-san? How long have we been travelling?" Ino questioned. Her light blue eyes held a strange calmness that made his skin crawl. The calmness made her look as threatening as a psychotic serial killer.

"Don't kill us." Naruto muttered for only Itachi to hear. So it seemed the blonde wasn't such an idiot after all. He had picked up on it only seconds after Itachi had. The Uchiha looked up at the soft blue of the sky for an answer. The sun had moved about an inch to the right since the last time he'd checked.

"I would estimate four hours." Itachi said in a velvety smooth tone. Ino nodded slowly in understanding. The rest of the day was painfully silent, with pinches of conversation here and there on Naruto's behalf.

When it was finally time to rest up for the night, Itachi became aware of the tension in the air. He automatically quickened his stride so he could be closer to Naruto. He was playing the favourites game, and he knew it.

"Alright, team. Let's get a good night's sleep, so we'll be energized for tomorrow. Ino and Sakura will bring back water; Naruto will set up the tents. I'll go get fire wood. Scatter!"

-x-

Itachi didn't know what made him scream. He didn't know why he'd run off without the genin. He didn't know why he was the one to find Sasuke. He didn't know why he couldn't beat some sense into his brother. He didn't know why he let his guard down when he thought Sasuke's barrier was finally broken. He didn't know why his brother said he hated him. He didn't know why Sasuke stabbed him. Once, twice, thrice. He didn't know why he didn't bother to stop him. He didn't know why Naruto had fallen to his knees when he saw the bloody mess they'd made. He didn't know why his favourite blonde was crying, or when Sasuke finally came to his senses. He didn't know why his mission failed. He didn't know why he failed his brother. Worst of all, he didn't know why he'd failed Naruto.

-x-

**That's some deep stuff there. Haha, hope you liked it. See you guys in about a week or two! I promise to update on time this time.**

**Reviews:**

**In The Mix: Aww, yeah. I've felt left out so many times. Oh my goodness, thank you so much! I completely overlooked that. Very good point indeed! I made sure to fix it in this chapter. Hope that's good? And actually, Itachi already knew. He's part of Anbu, so I would think he'd have been told or had noticed by now the odd amount of chakra and the fact you can see it. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Saya420: My faithful reviewer who has been here since the beginning! I'm so glad you're still reading. Haha, I actually had it written down in my calendar. All of my friends think I'm a loser.**

**Sweetyamiyugigirl: Yeah, I want them to be friends too, but I'm not really sure how to go about it. Haha, poor Sasuke. He made an irrational decision this chapter. Silly Uchiha. Well thanks! I tried to make him a bit different than most other authors make him. Oh, he means how the Nine-Tails attacked Konoha about 13 years ago? Naruto blames himself for the deaths.**

**Narutoyaoifan: Haha thanks! I really try to be. Yeah, I liked that part too. Kiba needs a kick in the face every once in a while. **

**Gue77: Thank you so much! I'm really sorry about that. I just had this problem going on, and it was kind of messing me up. Anyways, I'm all good and ready now. I promise to update sooner! **

**Sesshomarubaby18: Okay! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Orannis4: I totally didn't realize how submissive I made Naruto until you pointed it out. I'll try to give him back the freedom of choice he has in the Manga/Anime. Maybe he's just influenced by friends and the like. Thanks for reviewing!**


	14. The End

**Surprise? Early update? Yep. You deserve it. So... this is the last chapter. Last update if you'd rather call it that. This is my first fanfiction, and boy, has it been an adventure. Writing this has been grand. You, my reviewers, have been so loyal and kind. Whenever I'd read your reviews, I'd start squealing. You make my days that much better. Thank you so much for reading. Anyways, please enjoy the last chapter of "A Mother's Intuition: Crushes."**

**-x-**

**Disclaimer: As much as I may want to own Naruto, I don't. COUGH. It's my birthday on December third. COUGH. Wasn't too obvious, was it?**

**-x-**

"Do I really get to stay over?" Naruto chirped. His blue eyes were widened in excitement. Itachi nodded slowly.

"No way!" Naruto jumped into the Uchiha's arms, babbling on about how much fun they were going to have. Passersby raised their brows in unhidden amusement at the blonde's outburst. Most of them had long forgotten the grudge they had held against the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. By now they were used to Naruto's unending vivacity, and more often than not, Uchiha Itachi was the cause. The couple continued on their way to the blonde's apartment.

Naruto had been so energetic lately it was almost frightening. Obviously, it was because both Sasuke and Itachi had gotten out of the hospital alright. Itachi had had serious injuries, but time had healed them. Ino had managed to convince Sasuke out of running away again. The two almost seemed like a couple now. If you couldn't find one, you would look for the other and the one you were looking for was guaranteed to be there. Is that too confusing for you?

-x-

"Make sure to interrupt anyone speaking during dinner." Itachi instructed lazily.

"Reverse psychology doesn't work on me, silly!" Naruto grinned. The Uchiha rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide the sly grin forming. The blonde continued to pack his belongings, making a note to buy some groceries on his way home from the Uchiha compound.

"I'm so excited! This is the first time I've slept over at your house!" Naruto said in delight. He waved his hands in the air to emphasise his excitement.

"Yes, I've noticed." Itachi said dryly. He went on watching Naruto skip back and forth across the room.

"Hey, don't be a poop." Naruto stuck out his tongue in displeasure.

"I'm not being a 'poop'. I just don't share your infinite energy." Itachi sighed.

"You don't want me to be there?" Naruto asked. He stood rooted to the spot, his high spirits quickly inflating.

"Of course not, Naruto. I'm looking forward to it too." Itachi couldn't help the feeling of guilt weighing him down. Just one look of disappointment from the blonde and he was sent scurrying for approval. He was so whipped.

"Sure you are." Naruto deadpanned. However, he deemed the answer good enough and finished packing.

"Ready!" The blonde announced. Itachi had to remind him to lock the door before they left. Along the way, they spotted Sasuke and Ino at the Yamanaka flower shop. After much persistence from Naruto, the two stopped to say hello.

"Ino-chan! Sasuke-teme!" Naruto called. Sasuke appeared nervous at first glance, but inside his blood was boiling in perfectly controlled anger.

"Morning, Naruto-kun, Itachi-san." Ino waved. She rested her chin delicately in her other hand.

"Good morning, Ino-chan." Itachi gave a polite nod of his head and exchanged a glance with his brother. Sasuke eagerly shuffled closer to his older brother.

"I was just about to... you know. Do that..." Sasuke muttered beneath his breath. His gaze always stayed on the blonde behind the counter. Ino looked up from the pot of daisies she was examining when she felt a pair of eyes on her. She sent Sasuke a kind smile, which was dutifully returned.

"Oh. I see. I'll take Naruto home then." Itachi's heart felt like it was going to burst with the glee he felt for his brother.

"Is he staying over tonight?" Sasuke asked. His attempts at being subtle were clearly not working, as Naruto turned to frown at him.

"Sasuke-teme, just get on with it." Naruto scolded. Sasuke looked back and forth between Ino's blush and Naruto's glare.

"Uh..." For the first time in his life, Sasuke felt at a loss for words. He wasn't sure whether he should ask Ino or pretend he had no idea what Naruto was talking about. Sasuke decided to go with the former.

"Ino-chan... I wanted to ask you something." Sasuke began in uncertainty. Ino nodded for him to continue. Sasuke took a step closer to the glass counter.

"I... I was wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner. With me. Tonight." Sasuke stared in shocked silence when Ino burst into laughter.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun. I've waited so long for you to ask me." Ino replied in a soft tone. Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears. Sasuke's confusion must have been evident on his face, as Naruto clucked his tongue in impatience.

"She means yes, you idiot. She'll go out with you." Naruto snapped. The moment the words were out of his mouth, however, a smile brighter than the sun itself appeared on his face.

"I'm so proud of you!" Naruto squeaked. He sniffed for emphasis. Itachi shared Naruto's feelings of satisfaction. Sasuke let a small smile break through his emotionless facade. Ino returned the smile, and soon enough, the two were wrapped around each other in a hug. Itachi took the hint and pulled Naruto out of the store.

"I'm so proud of him, 'Tachi. Can you believe it? He's dating now! He has a girlfriend!" Naruto sputtered. Itachi consolingly patted him on the head, as that was all he could offer. He was desperately in need of consolation himself. Sasuke, his baby brother, was growing up too fast!

"I wonder if we'll see them later." Naruto broke the comfortable silence that had fallen over them.

"Most likely." Itachi said. His head was still spinning with images of his younger brother.

"Oh, just relax, 'Tachi. It's not like they're doing the dirty-dirty or anything. And anyways, we've been dating since last year, and you have absolutely no problem with that." Naruto stated. Itachi thought this over.

"That's true." He agreed. Naruto was always his voice of reason.

"So, what are we doing when we get to your house?" Naruto asked. His voice seemed to carry with the wind.

"Whatever you like, Naru." Itachi replied almost automatically.

"Oh, no you don't." Naruto shook his head. Itachi raised his eyebrows innocently.

"We're not playing that game, Itachi." Naruto explained. Apparently the explanation wasn't enough for Itachi, so Naruto went on. "We're not playing the 'I'm just going to let you do whatever you want because I have no interest in what we're going to be doing' game."

Itachi chuckled softly.

"I know, I know. I'm just thinking." Itachi replied honestly. Naruto took his hand, and started to walk faster.

"Well, listen to me!" Naruto huffed.

"Alright, alright. You're so needy, Naru." Itachi teased. He loved getting underneath the blonde's skin, pushing his buttons, making his blood boil.

"I wouldn't be so needy if you didn't provide me with what I needed." For Naruto, this was classified as an innocent comment. Itachi, however, could see beneath the underneath. He knew there was a half truth in that statement. He understood that Naruto was really getting fed up with his recent behaviour. He just wasn't listening to the blonde as much as he did before.

"I'm sorry, kitsune. I don't mean to ignore you. I've just had a lot on my mind the last couple of weeks." Itachi apologized. He sincerely felt bad for what he was doing. He knew communication was one of the most important things in a relationship, and he was currently atrocious in that area.

"Well? You're never going to get it out of your head if you don't share it. Let's hear it." Naruto said.

"Not right now, Naru. When we get to the compound, okay? After dinner." Itachi sent the blonde a hesitant smile.

"Hmpf. Fine. Only if we can have a _proper _conversation on the way there though." Naruto let go of Itachi's hand and crossed his arms in what was meant to be a menacing act. Too bad it just made the blonde look cuter.

Itachi played along and pretended to fear the blonde's wrath. "Of course, Naru."

-x-

"Itachi, dear, do you know when Sasuke will be back?" Mikoto asked from her perch at the doorway. Itachi looked up from the jigsaw pieces he had been trying to piece together.

"No, Okaa-san. I wasn't told." Itachi replied in the gentlest tone he could muster. He had become exceedingly frustrated with the puzzle he had been trying to make with the blonde.

"Oh... alright. Boys, dinner will be ready in 5." Mikoto faded into the dark hallway.

Sasuke and Ino made it to dinner after all, and the six were able to sit down peacefully at the dinner table.

-x-

An hour or so after dinner, Naruto complained of being hungry again. Itachi dutifully got up and made him a hot cup of tea and brought him biscuits while the blonde complained to Sasuke and Ino.

"Thanks, 'Tachi!" Naruto leaned forward so he could plant a kiss on the Uchiha's cheek. Itachi pulled him between his legs, where he sat comfortably. After finishing his snack, Naruto opted to find out what had plagued Itachi's mind.

"C'mon, please. Tell me!" Naruto whined. Itachi let out a loud sigh.

"Alright, fine." He muttered in irritation.

"Oh! I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Naruto whispered. He never really knew when enough was enough, but he could recognize the after effects and disarm them.

"No, it's alright, Naru. You have a right to know anyways." Itachi soothed.

"I... do?" Naruto asked in confusion. Itachi cleared his throat before beginning.

"Do you remember the man who attacked us and ordered your kidnapping? We've had several encounters with him."

"Yeah, I remember." Naruto said with a hint of grimness.

"Wait, what? You were kidnapped?" Ino asked. Sasuke squeezed her hand in a reassuring gesture.

"On an escort mission." Sasuke said. Ino turned towards him.

"So? What happened?"

"Well, a ninja from the Village Hidden in the Darkness shot a sedative at Kenji, the person we were supposed to protect. They demanded we hand over Kenji, but Itachi flat out rejected. Itachi was our team captain, by the way. Anyways, the guy got a hold of Naruto, and took him as a hostage. Naruto was underground without food or water for around five days. Worst of all, he had a dangerous Genjutsu placed over him. It really scared him. It scared Sakura and I as well. But it scared Itachi most of all, I think." Sasuke explained.

Ino stared at him with wide eyes.

"O-Oh my gosh. That's horrible." She turned to face Naruto, giving him a sympathetic look. Naruto nodded sadly. The blonde wouldn't admit that those things in the Genjutsu had scarred him. He wouldn't admit that he still had nightmares about them eating him. He was being eaten alive.

Itachi saw the bitter memories flashing through Naruto's eyes and pulled him closer.

"Continuing on... we have found out the identity of the man." Itachi paused to let the information sink in.

"Who is it?" Naruto asked.

"A subordinate of Orochimaru's." All three of his companions tensed at the name, 'Orochimaru.'

They didn't have the best of memories with the man.

"Oh... why?" Naruto questioned. His head felt like it was going to burst with unanswered questions.

"The Kyuubi, Naruto." Itachi whispered. "Orochimaru is on a quest for power, remember? And the Bijuu hold the most power, and even more the nine-tailed fox."

"Stupid, stupid me. What else would anyone want me for?" Naruto muttered. His day was obviously ruined.

"Stop it, Naruto. You've changed so many people's lives with your personality. Those who don't want you are only missing out on a friend... or more, of a lifetime." Itachi was surprised when the words came out of Ino's mouth and not his own. He was beginning to like the girl more and more as he got to know her better. Sasuke had definitely made a good choice.

Naruto grinned softly. Ino's words had made him feel the slightest bit better.

"You guys are such great friends. You have no idea." Naruto shook his head, laughter filling the room.

"I have an idea of how great I am." Ino said with a well timed smile.

"Of course you do." Sasuke teased.

"You know the best, though." She teased back.

Once again, Itachi took the hint and dragged Naruto out of the room.

-x-

The two were laying in Itachi's bed, curled against each other and drowsy with sleep, when Mikoto burst in.

"Nuh-uh. Not you two." She exclaimed. Her hands were on her hips, clearly expressing her disappointment.

"W-what do you mean, Okaa-san?" Itachi asked blearily. He lifted his head from its position on the pillow. The bright light from the hallway flooded into his room.

"You aren't sleeping in the same bed. Absolutely not! Not in this house, young man!" Mikoto huffed. Naruto couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Mikoto-san, please. Itachi wouldn't do anything inappropriate."

"Exactly! Okaa-san! What do you take me to be? A paedophile?" Itachi's eyes widened in apparent surprise at his mother's accusations.

"I'm sorry, boys. I'm just frustrated from having to explain to Sasuke and Ino-chan that sleeping in the same bed is not okay." Mikoto let out a sigh, letting her dark bangs fall into her eyes.

"No, no. It's perfectly alright. I'll go sleep in a different room. Thank you for being so patient, Mikoto-san." Naruto smiled gratefully. She nodded slowly, glancing warily around the room.

"You can sleep in the room across the hall. Once again, I'm very sorry. Good night, Itachi. Naruto-kun." She muttered. Her slim form made its way down the hall and back into the study.

"Okay... good night, I guess." Naruto whispered.

"Good night, Naru. I'll see you in the morning, okay?" Itachi replied. He reached out for the blonde, holding him in a tight embrace. He smelled of ramen and of... the sun. He didn't know how to explain his bizarre logic. That is simply what his blonde smelled like.

"I love you." Naruto said into Itachi's hair. Itachi breathed in again, inhaling as much of him as he could.

"I love you more. You mean the world to me, Naru." Itachi voiced the tender feelings in his heart. Naruto could bring out the best in him on the worst of days. Naruto was a ray of sunshine in his cloudy life. A rose in his garden. The shower when he came home from a mission.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning, 'Tachi." Naruto said. He stood in the bright hallway, staring back at Itachi with bright eyes.

"Thank you for giving me such a fun night. I've never had a sleepover at someone else's house, and you've given me a great introduction to the world of sleepovers."

"Only you would think of something so cheesy to say. You're welcome. I'm glad to have been able to introduce you. After all, you're only allowed to sleepover here anyways." Itachi teased. Naruto chuckled softly.

"Love you, you silly shinobi." Naruto mumbled. He spared one last glance at Itachi's curled up form in the blankets before heading off.

"I love you more than you know." Itachi called back.

"_Stop with the lame love declarations!_" Sasuke and Ino chorused.

-x-

A sharp crack of thunder jolted him awake. He remained hidden beneath the covers, holding his breath in anticipation. He could hear the rain pelting the window, and it didn't seem like it was going to fade away anytime soon. Another crash of thunder, and the lightning illuminated the guest room like a camera flash. Naruto curled into a tight ball while his heart tried to break out of his chest. The air inside the covers was growing warm, making his skin damp with sweat.

_Maybe I should hide in the closet._

Naruto quickly replaced the thought with; _I'm going to hide in the closet._

He waited in distressed silence for the next bout of thunder. When the bang came, the blonde slipped out of the covers and sprinted to the closet. He tried to ignore the eerie way the lightning brought out the shadows of the room. Naruto moved a pair of shoes to the side as he made himself comfortable. Wrapping his arms around his knees, the blonde allowed himself to relax to some extent. The stiffness had not left his body.

Throughout his whole life, Naruto had been frightened of thunderstorms. He hadn't had any specific reason then, and he didn't now. It had become a habit to run into the nearest room without a window. The windowless room was usually a closet. He didn't want to see the lightning, and the cramped area would slightly muffle the sound. He would wait out the thunderstorm, and after making sure it wasn't coming back, fall into a restless sleep. The blonde leaned against the farthest corner, feeling strangely uncomfortable in the place who gave him the most comfort on these types of nights.

_I miss Itachi_.

Naruto shut his eyes, sucking in his breath when the thunder made the house vibrate.

_Stop stalking me, thunder. I'll call the police. You too, lightning_.

Naruto smiled weakly at the lame joke he had produced. _What's a guy to do in a closet? No, that's just dirty_.

The sound of the closet doors opening brought both a sense of fear and a sense of relief to Naruto. He raised his arms in defence, but lowered them when he saw who it was. Uchiha Itachi. The eldest Uchiha had never failed to bring a smile to the blonde's face, this time included. The raven kneeled in front of Naruto, bringing him into his arms. He shut the door behind them, and settled himself on the frigid wooden floor.

"Itachi..." Naruto murmured into the cotton shirt. Itachi reassuringly stroked his hair, using his sharingan to spot movement in the darkness.

"I'm right here, Naru." Itachi whispered. The blonde's breathing eventually slowed down to the point Itachi could relax.

"Thank you." Naruto breathed before closing his eyes and letting himself drift into sleep. Itachi kept up the rhythmic motion of his hand in the blonde's hair until he couldn't keep his eyes open for any longer. As Naruto dreamed of the patient raven and Itachi dreamed of the enthusiastic blonde, the storm outside quietly faded into a gentle rain shower. Little did they know, the weather was a metaphor for their hectic relationship. Sunny on some days, stormy on others. Of course, the day they met was a golden day. Filled with sunshine and blue skies and the like.

And how had it all started?

On a mother's intuition.

**-x-**

**My goodness. I'm crying as I'm writing this, because it didn't actually sink in until now. Thank you so much for sticking with me and supporting me. I love you all so much. It's been real. WTR, signing off.**

**Reviews:**

**Saya420: Aw... I'm sad to see you go. Thank you for sticking with me throughout the whole story. Haha. Yes. I am the master of cliffies. I really hope you liked the fanfic!**

**Sweetyamiyugigirl: Yeah, I know! Poor 'Tachi! Hopefully you understand why Sasuke left now. Unless you were being sarcastic. Hahah. Thanks for reading!**

**In The Mix: Well, jeez. You've been reading/reviewing for a while too. I really hope you liked the ending. Not sure if I failed or not. Haha. Anyways, I was planning on making Hinata and Naruto best friends before I ended the story, but I thought now was a good time to end it. Ino kind of took her place. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Namikaze naruko14: Haha thanks! Sucks that I ended the story the moment you started reading. Sorry. I hope you enjoyed reading it. Did the ending suck too much?**


	15. Sequel Notice

**PLEASE READ! If you don't want to read all of it, just read the bold parts which contain the important information.**

**Hey guys! So I've decided to write a sequel to "A Mother's Intuition: Crushes"!** I've already had a couple people tell me they would read it, so I just wanted to give you guys a heads up. **I really liked writing AMIC, (I had to shorten it 'cause I'm lazy)** and **I've really matured with my writing in the past couple of months**. I really want to write a sequel to prove myself, and **I absolutely loved getting feedback from you guys. You have no idea how happy your reviews made me.** **For now, I'm going to be deleting the stories I'm not working on off of my FF account, and once I get well into the sequel, I'll slowly start posting them again.** I may even rewrite some of them into one-shots. **So yeah, I'm estimating the first chapter of the sequel will be up in a week, most likely before then.** Don't worry, the **sequel won't be as silly as AMIC was** and **it'll have an actual plotline, **unlike AMIC where the villain didn't even have a proper name and would pop in at random moments.

**-x-**

**Also, I was reading over AMIC, and I found some funnies I wanted to share with you.**

**1) Itachi was a serious pedophile, having a crush on a nine year old when he's... 14. **

2) All chapter titles begin with "The..."

3) Fugaku, Sasuke and Itachi's father, was barely mentioned in the fic, except for Chapter 12, in which he participated in the event.

4) You never really found out what "The Plan" was in chapter 2.

**5) The whole story seemed to focus on sleep deprivation. (It's funny 'cause it's true)**

6) In chapter 3, Naruto was already angry that Itachi didn't voice his feelings.

**7) Itachi had more nicknames than necessary for Naruto.**

8) Itachi was already going to say I love you at the end of ch. 4.

9) Itachi should have known that Hinata had a crush on Naruto in Ch. 5. He made the assumption that Sakura had a crush on Sasuke based on Naruto's description of her behaviour, and Hinata was showing the same behaviour, but to Naruto instead.

10) There was no real reason behind the attack in Ch. 5.

**11) In Ch. 6, while on their date, Itachi and Naruto get stuck in a lightning storm, and they take cover beneath a slide... what are slides made out of? Metal, you idiots!**

**12) Itachi had no reason to decorate a whole Sakura tree with orange ribbons.**

**13) You never find out where Kenji is from.**

14) You never find out exactly why Kenji is wanted by the Village Hidden in the Darkness, other than the vague accusation of, "Committing several crimes."

**15) Chapter 10, the second part of the mission, when Naruto is kidnapped and placed in a cell underground, was written shortly after I watched "The Descent" and "The Descent 2" Do you see the connection?**

**16) ****It was a stupid idea for Itachi to steal everyone's birthday gifts to Naruto and place them all in one room. Like seriously? Who does that?**

**17) Even I don't know how Sasuke learned of Orochimaru, as he abandoned the Leaf village before the Chuunin Exams.**

**18) When I was first planning out AMIC, Sasuke was supposed to fall in love with Naruto and there would be constant sibling rivalry between Sasuke and Itachi for Naruto's affection.**

19) Sasuke invited Ino OUT for dinner in the last chapter and they ended up eating at Sasuke's house.

20) My favourite chapter was the last one and the date one.

**21) In the lightning storm scene in the last chapter, Naruto was supposed to fall asleep without Itachi ever coming in, with the umbrella he'd bought with Itachi in Chapter 6 digging into his back.**


	16. The Sequel Is Up!

Hello again! Just wanted to let you guys know that **I uploaded the first chapter of the sequel. The sequel is called Reboot**, and I really hope you guys check it out. Everything is kind of different, and at the moment, Itachi can't quite remember Naruto. Literally. We'll get some ItaNaru goodness soon enough, though! **Here's the summary: Naruto Uzumaki had it all, and one day it all disappeared. He's awoken in a world where his boyfriend, his parents, and his friends don't remember him. Can he re-obtain those precious relationships that made Naruto who he is now? **


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